The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-02-27

1t by parental care. Nature, society, ex-
perience, are volumes opened every
where and pe~rpetually before its eyes"
This is what the eminent DR.. Chan
ming said, and it is true. When wax is
placed before the fire or is sharply
heated, it will receive readily the i'm
press Of any stamp. SO with the child's
mind; it is plant and soft, and will
yield easily to whatever impressions
are placed o it. How very. very
cautious we should be then in the kind
of die we use-in the character of he
moral and mental impressions which
are sought to be fixed upon the ductile
mind of youth.
The ancients understood this perhaps
quite as we'll as most parents Of the
present day. Quintilian, in one of his
dialogues, tells US that the Roman
child was not given in charge to a
hired nurse, but was brought up in
the lap n bosom Of the mother" and
he adds, that one of the wni yir-
tues of a wife was her ability Ito keep
the house, and to attend to the chill
dren.' The Romans knew that child
hood and youth were the receptive,
formative periods; hence, the watch
care of the mothers both in instruction
n recreations, which Quintilian men
lions specially.
If what we nave said is true then
it is very important that the periods
of childhood and early youth should
receive the utmost care and attention
In the little children are the embryo
statesmen and lawgivers, the divines
and philosophers, the jurists ard pub
llcists, the poets and orators, the
teachers and inventors, the men of bus
mess and of enterprise. In the little
children too are the matrons who are
to gladden. and beautify the arid
tracks of human existence, making
home happy inc life endurable, and to
train for this life and for the life 10
come those endowed with Immortality.
How great then the responsibility of
parents and teachers, of statesmen and
legislators! Youth is the seed time. Let
it not be unwisely neglected. Let no
briars and brambles and weeds grow
in the virgin soil of the mind. Let is be
like a rich garden, we'll tended, filled.
with fruits and flowers and choicest
viands, where no noxious weeds or
poisonous plants are permitted to
grow.
Since that was made ready for the
printer we heard a sermon on educa-
tion-a most wise, practical, earnest
discourse. The question was raised if
any one was really fitted to teach the
young who was not sincerely Christian.
We do not enter Upon it's discussion
here. But if parents and others aaving
charge of children would ponder seri-
ously that question presented, they
would find much cause for saying
Amen!
There is q vast deal of false leach
ing of many kinds in this and all other
so-called Christian lands. There are err
roneous, misleading ideals. 1t is now-a-
days Ito get" That is the sum of all
achievement, the ideal perfection of
life. Get rich and "be somebody" High
character for all that it good and pure
and just doeS not count much. Says
that most delightful author, Rev. DR..
Henry Van Dyke, of the Presbyterian
church in his last charming book he
calls 'Fisherman's Luck"
I'VE measure success by accumula-
ton. The measure is false. The true
measure is appreciation. He who
loves most has most.
How foolishly we train ourselves
for the work of life! We give our most
arduous and eager efforts to the cult
walton of those faculties which VIII
serve us in the competitions of the
forum and the market-place. But if
we were wise. we should care infinite
ly more for the unfolding of those in
ward, secret. spiritual powers by which
alone we can become the %proprietGys
of anything that is worth having.
Surely God is the great proprietor. Yet
all His works He has given away. He
holds no t~itle-deeds. The one thing
that is His, is the perfect understand
ing, the perfect joy, the perfect love,
of all things that He has made. To a
share in this high ownership He well
comes all who are poor in spirit. This
is the earth which the meek inherit.
This is the patrimony of the saints in
light"