The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1894-04-20
on them all the grandeurs of eternal his

on them all the grandeurs of eternal his
tory.
You need the religion Of Christ in the
discipline of your children. The rod
which III other homes may be the first
means used in yours will be the last'
There will be no harsh epithets--''you
knave, you villain, you scoundrel, I'll
thrash the life out of you; you are the
wAst child ever knew" All that kind
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! P.twccl Sc
verify and laxativeneas 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 good example.
Cowper said of the oak: thine was
when settled on thy leaf fly could
shake thee to the root. Time has been
when tempest could not. In other
words, your children arc very impressi-
BILE just now. They are alert; they are
gathering impressions you have II, idea
of. Have you not been surprised ,ome-
times, months or years after som . 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 CT righteousness but yourself.
Things which you do knowing at the
time to be = .,ong 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 proEi1os. No one ever gets over
having had u bad example set him. Your
conduct moro than your teaching makes
impression. 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 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
reserve in the presence of your children.
You are not er. pcror. You are companion
with them. As far as you can, you must
walk with them, skate with them, fly
kite with them, play ball with them,
show them you are interested in all that
interests them. Spensippus, the nephew
and successor of Plato in the academy,
had pictures of joy and gladness hung
all around the schoolroom. You must
not give your children the impression
that when they come to you they are
playful ripples striking against rock.
You must have them understand that
you were a boy orce yourself, that you
know boys hilarities, boys tempta-
lions, boys ambition-yea, that you
are boy yet You may deceive them
and try to give them the idea that you
are some distant supernatural effulgence,
and you may shove tiom off by your rig
orous behavior, but the time will come
when they will find out the deception,
and they will have for you utter con-
tempt.
Aristotle s,il that o boy should begin
to study at II years of age. Before that
his time should be given to recreation.
Icannot adopt that theory. But this sug-
gests a truth in the right direction.
Childhood is too brief, and we have not
enough sympathy with its sportfulness.
We want divine grace to help us i'll the
adjustment of all these matters
Besides that, how are your children
ever to become Christians if you your
self are not Christian? I have noticed
that however worldly and sinful parents
may be they want their children good.
When young people have presented
themselves fer admission into our mem
bership, have said to them, "Are your
father and mother willing you shall
come?' And they have said, "Oh, yes;
they are delighted to have us come
They have rot been in church for 10 or
Is years. but they will be here next Sab
bath to see me baptized. y Ihave noticed
that parents, however worldly, want
their children good.
A Good Mother Sought.
So it was demonstrated in police
court in Canada, where a mother, her
little child i'll her arms, sat by table
on which her own handouts lay, and
the little babe took up the handouts and
| played with them and had great glee.
| She knew not the sorrow of the hour.
And then when the mother was sent to
prison the mother cried out: 80 God,
let not this babe 80 into the Jail! Is
there not some mother here who will
take this child? 1t is good enough for
heaven. 1t is pure. / am bad am
wicked. Is there not some one who will
take this child! cannot have it tainted
with the prison" Then brazen crea-
ture rushed up and said, Eyes, I'll take
the child" 10, no, said the mother,
mot you, not you. Is there not some
good mother hero who will take this
child?" Ar then when the officer of
the law in mercy and pity took the child
to carrysit away to find a home for it
the mother kissed it lovingly goodby and
said: "Goodby, my darling. 1t is better
you should never see me again. -
However worldly and sinful people
are, they V 1T their children good. How
are you ge7,!., to have them good? Buy
them few good books? Teach them a
few excellent catechisms? Bring them
to church: That is all very well, but OF
little finr.l r.iult unless you do it with
the grace af God i'll your heart. Do you