Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1894-05-03

-'--7Nt ltAAAAE VI fO4E EAAAuEEn- 44-
rod which in other homes may be the
first means used IN yours win BE- the
last. There win be no harsh epithets
- 'yoa knave, yoa villain. you seoun-
frel, III thrash the life out Of you. yOu
are the worst child ever knew. All
that kind of chastisement makes
thieves, piclzpoclzets. murderers. and
the outlaws OF society. That parent
who in anger strikes his child across
the head, deserves the penitentiary.
! And yet this work OF discipline must
be attended to Gods grace can di-
rect US. Alas for those who come 10
the work with fierce passion and reck-
! tessness of consequences. Between Sc
verify and laxativeness there IS no
! choice. Both ruinous and both de-
structive. But there is a healthful
medium which the grace of God will
show To Us
Then we need the religion of Christ
to help US in setting a good example.
Cowper said of the oak: Time was
when settled on thy leaf fly could
shake the to the root Time has been
when tempest could not In other
words. your children are very impress
sible just now. They are alert: they
are gathering impressions You have NO
idea OF. Have You not been surprised
sometimes. months or years after some
conversation, which You supposed was
too profound or intricate for them 10
understand-some question Of the child
demonstrated the fact he knew all
about IL? Your children are apt u
think that what you do is right They
have no ideal Of truth Of righteous
ness but yourself Things which you
do knowing at the time to be wrong.
they take 10 be right They reason
this way: Father always does right
Father did this. Therefore, this is
right. 7 at is good logic. but bad
premises. No one ever gets over hav-
ing bad bad example set him. Your
conduct more than your teaching
makes impression. Your laugh. your
frown, your dress, your walk. your
greetings, your good-bves. your com
ings, your goings your habits at the
table the tones of your voice are max
ing an Impression tlat VIII last a mile
lion yea ate vol are lead nd re
sun WI be extiu .u.sheJ. IA the
mountains win erul bic and the world
will die. and eternity viii roll on In
perpetual cycles. but there will be no
dim mutton of the force of your con
duct upon the young ewes that saw il
OF the young ears that heard IL
Now, ] would not have by this the
idea given to you that You must be in
cold reserve in the presence 81 your
children You are not emperors; YOU /
are companion with them. As FAR as
you can you must walk with them, 1
skate with them. fly kite with them, /
play ball with them, show them that 1
you are interested in ali that interests /
them. Spensippus, the nephew anc
successor Of Plato in the academy, had /
pictures OF joy and gladness hung all I
around the school room. You must 4
not give your children the impression 4
that when they come to you they are
playful ripples striking against a rock 4
You must have them understand that 4
YOU were q boy once yourself that YOU
know a boys hilarities, a boys temp 4
tations, a boys ambition-yea. that
YOU ART a Wv g. RA MA tAAtAEft
them and try to give them the idea
that You are some distant supernatural
effulgence and YOU may shove them
of by your rigorous behavior but the
time will come when they viii find out
the deception, and they viii have for
you utter contempt
Aristotle said that boy should be-
gin to study at seventeen years Of age;
before that his time should be given to
recreation. cannot adopt that theory.
But this suggests truth in the right
direction. Childhood is too brief, and
we have not enough sympathy with its
We want divine grace 70
help US in the adjustment Of all these
matters.
Besides that, how are your children
ever to become Christians If you YOUR
self are not Christian? ] have noticed
that however worldly and sinful pa.
rents may be, they want their children
good When young people have pre-
sented themselves for admission into
our membership I have said to them,
care your father and mother willing
You shall Gomez and they have said
20. yes: they are delighted 70 have rs
come: they nave not been in church
for ten or fifteen years, but they
viii be here next sabbath to see
me baptized" 1 have noticed that par
.nts. however worldly, want their ehil-
iren good 80 it was demonstrated in
, police court in Cana Ia. where a
mother. her little child in her arms
at bv table on which her own hand
,uffs Law. and the little babe took up
he handouts and PLAYED with them.
md had great glee. She knew not the
sorrow of the hour. And then when
he mother was sent to prison, the
mother cried out: oh. God let not
his babe 20 into Jail Is there not
,ome mother here who viii take this
,hild? II Is good enough for Heaven
L is pure. am bad ] am wicked. Is