The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1901-02-01
w. Q. T. U. Column

HlSeJinR Will De 10 W0dJ 6NUenJ Is Jne
mother responsible for the disposition
and training of the child?" A sum-
mary of the papers presented and
thoughts given will appear in our
column. The following, is the first Of
the series, given at our meetingl OF
Jan. 18th, on the subject discussed,
"The Companions of our Children. u
Prov. POLL. Gwen q .child lis known
by his doings; whether his works be
pure, and whether it be right"
They who are close observers of the
child life, can but verify the truth oil
this passage. Indeed so early in life
does the child give evidence of his
latent traits of character, his peculiar
tastes and preferences, his natur al
aptitude and ambitions along GER
tain lines, that 1t Is not hard for
the close student of human nature to
foresee what manner of man or woman
the child is likely to become.
This too being the most plastic
period of life, the impressions of his
immediate surroundings and of the
lives by which he comes in daily con-
tact, be they playmates or those who
have the immediate responsibility of
his training, are indelibly stamped
upon his mind. This, then, being the
most sensitive period is thatupon which
parents should bestow the greatest
care. The one they should most
sacredly guard. Indeed some scient-
lists assert that If you can succeed in
forming the right impressions and
esta olishing the right principles into
the life of child, by the time he or
she have reached even their tenth year
you have laid the foundation for a
noble manhood or womanhood. And
yet, how few seem to realize this and
how often it is the case that the child
has reached its tenth year before the
parents begin to exercise their authori-
ty or to restrain the child from as
sociates whom they have begun to
realize are not the best. oh fatal mis-
take! These wrong impressions have
already begun to take a deep hold up
on the child's life and many times the
parents find themselves powerless to
control.
Oh, is there nothing that will save
these children from being borne away
on this stream of wickedness? We
have Gods promised contained in
Prov. 22-6. "Train up child in the
way he should go, and when he is old
he will not depart from it," Few
mothers realize that they, too, are
the companions of their children
whether they will, or not, and that the
child is constantly taking on impress
sions from voice, word, manner and
even thought of the mother, who is
their daily companion and GUIDE.
The father, as well, but we are discus
sing the mothers inlluencenow. Have
there not been days in the lives of
each of us when fatigued by our daily
round of duties and suffering greatly
from physical ailments we have given
vent to our feelings in tones and man
ner that have quickly seemed to per-
wade the entire household with an
atmosphere of discomfort and i'll
humor? And oh how we have repented
and reproached ourselves as we have
seen our children quickly emulatingus.
Oh mothers, how much we need the
daily and hourly, yea, the momentary
guidance, of our Father, that we
stumble not in the pathway we are
marking out for other feet. Not only
are we the daily guides, but believe
God intended we should also be as
the guardian angels of our children 5
lives, encouraging that which is
good, throwing around them all the
hallowed sweet influences of good
books, noble characters and COM
panionship that tend to beautify and
strengthen the mind, coming in close
touch with the heart life of the chill
dren by whom they are daily sur
rounded, pointing out to them the
evil tendencies in such lives perhaps,
and teaching them to shun, as they
would the most poisonous reptile, the
association of such life. "Train up
child in the way he should go, and
when he is old he will not depart from
it," Many parents who, in the fear
of God, have given their children the
most careful training, have been dis
couraged because they have grown up
disappointment to them in many
ways, the sons more especially. To
such we can but say the promises Of
God are sure and steadfast. Although
for few years after he has left the
parental roof the boy may seem to
abandon his early training, still, the
earlier impressions are the most last
ing, and sooner or later if he be con-
stantly remembered before the throne
of divine prace il VOur faith fail NOT