The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1906-08-17

| every Wish. Inc cnlli mas rlSnt 10
be denied some things. 10 be re-
strained; 70 learn from US. in love,
| something OF the inexorabl- condi-
| tioas Of mature life We have no
! rigat To interfere with the law OF
! cause and effect % such an extent
as - send our children out into the
world unprepa-ed for real life.
The third Of the inalienabie rights
| OF children is the right TO be taught.
| involving the right 70 be ignorant.
A child has a right - be ignorant
and 10 be kept in ignorance OF many
things. 1t is difficult right TO
maintain in these days, especially
after a child has learned TO read.
But / question whether our children
do not learn more OF the dark and
sinister facts of life from our own
careless conversation than from what
theyread And speak not only of con-
versatiOn relating TO gross crimes OF
lust and violence, but OF unkind
criticism, Of ordinary gossip, OF dis
trust, iEsinuatiCn and riIcule. Many
Of US, fear, are IL no position %
complain Of the newspapers, nor even
OF the unWhOiesOme books from
which our children learn so many
things they might better never know.
If only this right of our children
to be spared for a time the dis
closure of certain aspects of life
were more clearly recognized and
at the same time the guarding
Of their innocence more carefully
distinguished from the foolish with
holding of necessary kuOWledgei
Let me say with all deliberatiOn
that it should be counted as one Of
the most sacred Of the Obligations
OF parents to give to their children,
or TO provide for them, that physi-
illogical instruction, the withholding
of which, entirely or too long,
through ovr utterly false sense of
propriety, has been for many gener-
atoms, and is to-day, one Of the chief
causes OF human sin and wretChed
ness
The right of children TO be taught
has never been 50 fully recognized
as it is in our day 1t is felt TO be a
wrong and disgrace if one child is
left without a seat in a school, or
kept Out ot it, There never were SO
many people interested in CdUCatiOn-
al methods and Institutions. There
never was suCh q widespread cppre-
citation OF the value Of education.
There never was better teaching nor
more Of it.
But the right to be taught de-
mands more than the privilege Of
going to school No school can re-
lieye parents from their responsible
~ for their children If shortcOm-
inss IN their own education cut them
off from giving the kind OF assistance
they would like best TO give, they
can give that which is, after all.
most valuable, the help and inspir-
alton OF loving appreciation, OF SYM
pathetic interest
In the religious instruction OF
children there can be no substitute
for father and mother Sacred his
tory and religious truth may be
taught by others. Relationships
with others may be established
which will greatly promote spiritual
life. But nothing can take the place
Of religious parentage and o. par
entail instruction, in the religious de-
velopment Of a human life. The
fundamental truth of our religion is
the Fatherhood Of God. The only
natural medium for the realization OF
that truth is a godly parentage. We
cOncede the right of every child to
be well born Is it too much TO say
that every child has a right to be
born of religious parents? What is
this but saying that no parents are
in a position TO do the best that
might be done for their children un-
less they are truly religious persons,
unless they know God and serve Him
and represent HIS Fatherhood to
their children?
Among the rights Of q child which
should be considered in connection
with the right to be taught, and
bearing particularly upon his relg-
ious training, are the rights Of
childhood's faith. How simple it isl
How ready to conceive what we
teach, In childhood. faith has its
golden opportunity to establish it
self for all life's pilgrimage. We
have no right to discourage child 5
faith. 1t is wicked to make light OF
it to ridicule it, to embarrass il in
any way But we have no right, on
the other hand, to impose upon it,
to tritle with ii, to burden il. IL is
the supreme right of children under
the royal charter of their Christ to
come to Him. Their faith and their
spirit are exactly what He wants.
Suffer the little children to come
unto Me, and forbid them not, for
of such is the kingdom of God.
believe that the threshold of life is
meant TO be the threshold of the
kingdom and that our children have
a right TO receive the sign and the
seal of their citizenship in holy bap-
tism And can it be that the Lord
! Jesus Christ will deny them a place
at His table when they come to un-
! derstand what II means to sit down
with Hin there, and desire 20
| come? Forbid them not Forbid
them not; For of such is the king