Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-09-10
TIM ELY ADVICE.
Rev Father Mulcahy Talks to Parents eSa and GuArdlans.

HlF Rev Father Muloahy Talks to Parents eus and Guardians.
 The public schools will open tomorrow morning and in order to remind parents of the duty of sending their children to school at the commencement of the term, and using every means at their disposal to give them a good religious and secular education, the Rev J. A. Mulcahy de- livered a very instructive address at the Immaculate Conception church yesterday morning. Father Mulsahy said in sub stance:
 The opening of the schools brings once more to our thoughts that most important and practical duty of parents and of so- ciety. the proper training of children. No other subject can be more worthy of our best and most serious thoughts. The manner in which this duty is performed may always be taken as an undoubted test of the virtue, the civilization and the pros- perity and more especially of the stability of society. or of individual families. So- ciety and individual families practically acknowledge this truth. and so devote to this duty the far larger share of their en- ergies.
 If we except those whose sole aim in life seems to be dissipation or amusement. and, together with them, those whose every thought is centered upon their own little selves-these classes who are. in comparison with healthy. active christian men and women. only what the driftwood floating aimlessly upon the ocean surf is to the stately vessels which bring into friendly and profitable relations the most distant relations of the earth-if those be excepted, we will find that the support of children. their proper training and pro- viding for their future, are the great mo- | far 1ahnr IA .ufr af nrr ar- tivlty and the purpose of our great indds- trial enterprises. This labor is great. but it is not without its noble purpose. nor without its reward even here. In thus | furnishing us with holy incentive to an active life. and to a spirit of self-sacrifice children are in the natural order the salt of the earth. the saviors of society. With out the motives which they present and the affections which they create and nur- ture, we would be fated to behold on all sides either vicious activity or slothfulness worse than death.
 This labor pertaining to the care of children may be considered as it is en. gagged in providing for them the best con. ditions forssgrowth and for the full develop ment of their faculties; or as bestowed up. on themselves personally to dispose them to accept the conditions of progress laid down by the author of life and to profit by all opportunities placed at their dispos al. Both are absolutely needed for success the neglect of,either leaves our duty wholly undone. It is entirely necessary to pro vide for our children, the conditions oi growth for their physical. intellectual ant moral nature. but is. if possible. more nee
 essary to dispose them to accept these con ditions and profit by these opportunitiei for the cultivation of their faculties. Tn, driftwood has as many fathoms of water a
 the ship. yet it ever remains a useless bur
 den on the bosom of the waters.
 What will it profit the father to find useful occupation for his child if habits o
 idleness or dissipation render the boy un fit to perform the requisite labor? Wha
 will it profit to leave your child money, i he is disposed only to follow the example O the prodigal son and waste it in riot am
 debhuctey? Every additional dollar an additional curse to the i'll disposed boy ! Yet what is to be done? What course ar parents to followp
 } It cannot be denied that many parent are occupied solely with the duties of pro
 viding for their children the external con ditions of education. leaving untouche that more important of disposing tn children to profit by them.
 Father Mulcahy quoted Milton, Chat
 ham, Locke, Cecil and other eminent liter
 ateurs to show the necessity of impartin to the youth of the society a thoroug
 religious and secular education.