St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1896-09-12

lAMMANY i fAkl01
less lie setting children On the very
verge of hell. The mothers Of Samue
johnson, aud Of Alfred the Great. ani
of Isaac Newton, and of st. Augustine
and of Richard Cecil, and Of President
Edwards, for the most part were in
dustrious, hard-working mothers
Now. while l congratulate =, al
Christian mothers upon the wealth
and the modern science which
may afford them all kinds of help
let me say that every mother ought to
be observant Of her children's walk,
her children's behavior. her ehildren's
food. her children's books, her chill
dren's scompanionships. However much
help Hannah may have. l think she
ought every year, at least, make one
garment for Samuel The Lord have
mercy on the man who is SO unfortu'
nate As to hare had a lazy mother!
Again: Hannah stands before you
to-day as an intelligent mother. From
the way in which she talked in this
chapter. and from the way in which
she managed this boy, you know she
was intelligent There are no persons
in . community who need to be SO
wise and wcll-informed as mothers.
o, this work of cultivating children for
this worlG and the next. This child is
timid, and It must be reused up and
pushed out into activities. This child
is forward; and must be held back and
tanned down into modesty and polite.
ness. Rewards Tor one punishments
for another. That which will make
George will ruin John. The
rod IL necessary in one case,
while . frown of displeasure is
more than enough in anoth-
er. Whipping and dark closet do not
exhaust all the rounds of domestic
discipline. There have been children
who have grown up and gone to glory
without ever having their ears boxed.
o, how much care and intelligence
is necessary in the rearing of chill
dren. But in this day, when there
are 80 many books on this subject,
no parent is excusablc in being igno-
rant Of the best mode OF bringing up
child II parents knew more of
dieteties, there would not be so many
stomachs and weak nerves
and inactive livers among children. IL
parents knew more of physiology,
there would not be SO many curved
spines and crampcd chests and inflamed
throats and diseased lungs as there are
among children. II parents knew more
Of art, and were in sympathy with all
that Is beautiful, there would not be
so many children coming out In the
world with boorish proclivities- If
parents knew moro of Christ. and
practiced more Of His religion, there
would not be SO many little feet start
ing on the wrong road, and all around
US voices of riot and blasphemy
would not come up with such ecstasy
Of Internal triumph The eaglets in
the eyric have no advantage over
the eagle.s of . thousand years ago;
the kids having no superior way
Of climbing up the rocks than the
old goats taught them hundreds of
years ago; the whelps know no more
Gu0A uLu Vile SAACAR0 ia dkC0 0kO-
are taught no more by the lions Of the
desert; but it is shame that in this
day, when there are SO many oppor-
tunities OF improving ourselves in the
best manner Of culturing children,
that SO often there is no more advance
ment in this respect than there has
been among the kids and the eaglets
md the whelps.
Again: Hannah stands before you
Today rs the Christian mother. From
her prayers, and from the way she
her body to God, know
The was good. A mother may have
The finest culture, the most brilliant
surroundings; but she is not fit for
her duties unless she be Christian
mother. There may be wcll-rcad Ii.
braries in the house: and exquisite
music in the parior; and the canvas Of
he best artist adorning the walls; and
he wardrobe be crowded with taste
hui apparel; and the children be won
lerful for their attainments, and make
he house ring with laughter and inno-
:ent mirth; but there is something
lacking in that house il it be
lot also the residence of Christian
mother. l bless God that there are
lot many prayerlcss mothers. The
weight of responsibility is SO great
hat they feel the need of Divine
rand to help, and = Divine voice to
comfort, and Divine heart to SYM
,athizc. Thousands of mothers have
,een led into the Kingdom Of
3od by tho hands of their little
:hildren. There arc hundreds of moth |
.rs to-day who would not haye been
had it not been for the
,rattle Of their little ones Standing
ome day in the nursery, they be-
hought themselves, this child God
las given me to raise for, eternity.
What is my influence upon il? Not be-
ng Christian myself. how can ever
expect him to become a Christian.
lord, help mer' O. are there anxious
mothers who know nothing Of the
infinite help of religion? Then
commend to you Hannah, the
,ious mother of Samuel. Do not
hink il absolutely impossible that
-our children come up ubiquitous. Out |
Il Just such fair brows and bright eyes |
md soft hands and innocent hearts |
rhine gets its victims-extirpsting
,urity from the heart, and rubbing out |
he smoothness from the brow, and |
the luster Of the ey3, and |
up and poisoning and putre-
ying and scathing and scalding and |
llasting and burning with shame and
roe.
Every child is bundle Of trcmen-
lous possibilities, and whether that |
hild shall come forth in life, its heart |
to the eternal harmopies, and |
Ifter life of usefulness on earth, 70 |
Q life Of joy in Heaven, or, whether |
cross il shall jar eternal discords, and |
.fter life of wrong-doinR on earth, it |
hall .-gQ: IT,. home Of impenetrable
arkness and an abyss Of immeasura-
'le plunge. Is being decided by nursery
ong and Sabbath lesson and evening
'rsyer, and walk and ride and look |
nd frown and smile. o, how many
hildren in glory. crowding all the
,attlements and liftinO : miflinr.