The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1905-06-30

want 10 rush ahead at a pace which
will leave them learned but invallds.
hold them back: true edUcatio is
not a long fever. Here and there a
child may need 10 be urged on little.
~ut | frankly confess that under the
high pressure of our public schools
would take the children's side in their
little plots 10 stay away day from
school when they have been hard at
work for many days. | like 60 plot
with them; their success pleaSes me-
more thSn their failure.
In the culture of the heart. also. we
must lead on softly. | can no more be
lleve that hard and cruel thoughts OF
God will hc good FOR my children than
| can believe in hard ard cruel words
and blows. and | have no doubt there
are more so-called intdcls made. and
confirmed ~ that enc. by fathers who
thought they were DOING Gods service
than there are of any other type. Such
thoughts may be but theology 10 the
father. but they are very often grim.
hard. real biting torment TO the tender
child II shuts out Heaven and opens
hell 20 him: IL is cruel as the Kissing
and biting Of serpents 10 some delicate
small souls. I suffered more agony at
one time I'm my childhood when re-
vivalist got hold OF me and made me
believe l might wake up in hell when
laid my poor little head on the pillow
than from any other thing that ever
struck me. There lies the way 10 do n
fatal mischief. the way the seeds OF in
fidelity are sown IN many n noble ma
ture. IL is simply the revolt at. the re-
sistance 10, and the rejection OF. God
their nature is too large and sweet and
tender TO tolerate. II in these early
days there is no day star of lovelier
light. no dawning for the small, bright
soul OF n better day, then there may be
no chance for that soul 10 pass into the
kingdom until IL has passed out OF the
world.
when we quote the Scripture "Train
up child in the way he should 60" we
must still take heed TO our ways lest
we think more OF the Scripture than
we think OF the child-iix our mind and
purpose on the other rather than the
hither end OF the way and train him
for what he should be AT forty rather
than what he must he I'm childhood and
youth. We must answer for what in
written in the book of the life of our
children. | must lay the patriarch's
gentle purpose TO my heart: The
children are tender. will lead on
softly" FOR these in my care. who
also have the long hard Journey before
them.
If this is true of the shadow. how
true Il must he Of the light. If oars
Is hard and poor lot, no man or
woman. father or mother. need ever
fear the children will fail to look back
ward To the early years with n tender
love. If by all the means in our pow or
we make good for them the natrlarch's
purpose think. indeed. our love for
the old home Is very often deepest and
purest in those who have had to face
the hardest times IL we have fought
through them in this bright good way.
and led the children on softly There
were homes in this country ffty sixty.
seventy years ago bare OF all things
save this one secret-thcy are the dear
est places on the earth to-day In mem
ory OF men and women who have every
thing now the heart can desire. And
when we have done this, what better
can we do than put the whole wealth
Of our cndeavor in trust into the hands
of God.