The Washington times., 1894-07-16
PARENTS RESPONSIBILITY.
DR.. Luccock's Sermon on the Religious
Training of Children at Home-Metro.
noIifau Church puInit Removed

Dr. Luccocks Sermon on the Religious
Training Of Children at Home-Metro.
poIitan Church Pulpit Removed.
The parishioners OF the Metropolitan Pres
byterian church ON Capitol hill were con-
slderably surprised yesterday morning when
they entered that edifice and found the pretty
marble pulpit removed, and in its place a
marble top table. The pulpit which for many
years had done service for Rev. DR.. Chester
during his pastorate was taken away during
the past week and the table was substituted
for it. Rev. DR.. Luccock. however, r,facetiously
explained the reason for the change. He
said: providence has ordrained that my
stature should be just what it is. This is, OF
course, a matter over which Ihave no control
''You see, therefore, that ons-story man
cannot preach to you and look at you while
doing SO behind a two-story pulpit. Ike to
look at you while am preaching and do not
like any distractions between us"
The explanation was so pleasantly given
and the situation so nicely made plain that
those who had some inward feeling over the
removal of the pulpit Immediately yielded to
the logic Of the pastor. He then proceeded
with the ceremony of baptizing several chill
dren before the sermon. Rev. DIR. Luccock' 8
sermon was on the text from Genesis xviii: 19-
''For l know Him, that He will command His
children and His household after Him. and
they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do
justice and judgment that the Lord may
bring upon Abraham that which He hath
spoken of Him."
The subject discussed by the pastor was the
'Religious training of children by parents" :"
Our God" ;" said the preacher, sis God of
covenants. In His covenants the Godward
side is that of promise. the manward side is
that OF obligation. God chose Abraham to
be the head of an elect nation because he
was one who could be trusted to train his
family in the ways Of righteousness. Every
where the family in Scripture is made the unit
of the covenant" Under this head the
preacher spoke at length otthe great need Of
parents teaching and training their children
in the family home. Parents, he stated, could
interest their little ones in all matters but re-
ligion. In some way parents shun to talk to
them about the things that God has COM
manded them TO teach their offspring.
"God has," said the pastor, "created In
child life nature that is impressionable.
This nature should be cultivated by pa
rents to the elevation of the lives Of their
children to Gods glory.
He also spoke of the absence in these days
of relig, ,ous feeling in the youth of the country
and it was growing evil. '.Oftentimes it is
discovered that but one Of the family is a
Christian, and invariably that one is the
mother" Passing from this point. he dis
cussed most fully childhood's impressionable
age.
"Iniuences" he said. "that will not make
a scratch on the granite character OF man
hood will plough deep furrows through the
tender heart OF child" He then spoke Of the
underlying principles, which he said in the
unseen character growth of a child at this i'm
pressionable age. is largely determined by
those with whom there is most association.
This influence is multiplied an hundred
fold when the association is made affection
ate. As we prize an heirloom, so the hallowed
keepsake of sanctity Of parental trust forms
helpful setting for the iewelof our own faith.
Even back of this ages tendency for young
people to look with somewhat conspicuous
regard upon the beliefs of the old. there is
often a subtle championship of even the un-
popular truths which the years have inter-
twined with solemn and pathetic experiences
of fathers.
1.-The clear lesson OF all this is that the house
wife should be made a mighty force in the de-
velopment of the kingdom Of Christ"