The record-union., 1898-11-25


complacency: il they could know some
thing Of the trials of others; If they
could long with a great yearning to
save some struggling soul from the
shame of defeat; If pity and human
feeling and divine forgiveness could fill
their softened hearts, they would not
have lived in vain, even though at the
end their own souls might pass out into
the great unknown, moving painfully
and fearfully in the shadow of that
haunting sin, unconfessed, and, per-
chance, not quite repented. Possibly
st. Paul, with his heart torn by the
horrible fear lest, having preached to-
others, he himself might be a cast
away, was more bearable in daily life.
as well as a greater power among the
Gentiles than had he remained the
Pharisee of his youth, wrapped in his
mantle of self satisfaction.
We all need to remember that deep
down in the heart of every human be-
ing sleeps the elemental savage, calm
ed by years and generations Of educa-
tion and training, lulled into uncon-
seriousness, perhaps, by the teachings
of morality and religion; held down
by the strong bands of public opinion
and common custom, but yet only
sleeping, not dead. For every human
being waits somewhere a temptation
too strong for him to resist. To deny
this is to deny his humanity. Thank
ful, but humble, should be he who is so
educated and guarded that between him
and his inevitable conquerer a great
gulf is fixed, SO that his life may pass
to peaceful close without knowing
the agony of that fearful struggle that
can end only in defeat Thankful, but
not intolerant, should be he whose as
sociates are those who will turn him
away from, not toward, the spot where
turks his deadly enemy.
To Omniscience the difference between
the man so taught, SO guarded, and so
living, and the one who is brought face
TO face with the temptation to which
he must succumb, is doubtless slight
indeed, and no one has much cause for
overweening conceit. We may we'll say
that
In the course of Justice
None of us shall see salvation.
We do pray for mercy, and that
Same prayer doth teach us all
10 render the deeds of mercy.
But though to Omniscience the diff
ference may be slight, to the we'll
being Of the State, to society, to the
man himself and to his self-respect is
all the difference that exists between
happiness and misery-a distance that
no hand can measure and no mind
conceive, except through experience or
the insight born of deep and loving
sympathy.
A child of the slums, left to the ma
lgn influences that are his terrible
b1rth-gift, finds the most trivial
temptation too powerful for resist
| ance. To the same child, removed
| from his vicious associates, given
higher aims and a more earnest pur-
pose to attain them. the temptations
| of the other life would cease to be
dangerous. His conquering foe is
moved back, farther and farther, until
he stands, with firm ground beneath
| his feet, with free air around him.
with not only a desire to do the right,
but with some degree of strength with
which to fulfill his purpose, and with
a thousand chances. where before
there was scarcely one, of pressing on
from happy youth to a respected
age.
! To some extent, in varying degrees
| this is the work that we should endeav-
or to do with the children committed to
| our care, and in so far as we ignore
our responsibility we are faithless tc
our trust.
How Is this to be done? In the first
place, we can strive to deal justly with
our pupils-not with the apology fol
Justice that is so comparatively cas-,
to administer. and upon which ws
sometimes pride ourselves, the treat
ing them ali alike" There is some
times no ranker injustice than thai
fair sounding method for real justics
deals with each child according to hi:
| needs, his capabilities, and his mo
| tives, as far as we can ascertain them
We can endeavor to implant some
element of hope in the heart of ever,
child A discouraged. pupil is q sourc.
of unhappiness to himself and hi.
parents, and is often an element grad
ually producing an undercurrent O.
dissatisfaction, affecting the workinf
quality of the entire class. BY wore
and by act we can preach the "Gospe
of the New Chance No fault that !
child can commit is unforgivable 1
the offense requires severe punishment
administer it, and then let that chapte
end. 1t is a poor world that will no
give child an opportunity to redeem
himself, and every new day shoult
, be like the beginning of a new life
| with the past wrong wiped out, and al
the future irradiated by the hope o
better things.
If our classes were small enough t
| allow us to know more of the environ
ments of our pupils: more of thei
moral and mental and physical lin
itations; more of the difficulties tha
beset them from without and fror,
within, it would often be easier for IL
to refrain from the impatient word t
| them or to their parents, because ther
would be no impatient thought to urg
the utterance. AS it is, we can onl.
: do our best, remembering that Will
it is our place to put forth every effor
to develop the child's better natur
; and to check his evil tendencies, it
. also our place to make allowances 70
| him in our hearts, to like him, evel
though we thoroughly dislike some o
| his actions. and to realize that hi
laziness, his lack of ability, or hi
habit of inattention is as much of a.
; affiiction as are the physical defect
| of the beloved little cripple, wit
whom no one is ever impatient Thes
/ mental and moral cripples often nee
i | the helpful treatment of reproof, an
compulsion and punishment, but if w
| | can impress them with the belief tha
we have a warm personal affection fo
them and are hopeful of them, bot
{ | they and their parents look upon on
actions in a better spirit, and are no
so likely to resent our efforts.
II Finally. If we can realize that, We've