Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-12-06


Entered as second class matter October dans
under the Act of Congress OF Marcn o.
1879.
THE TRAINING OF A BOY
To spank or not to spank. was the
question that precipitated discus
sion in the recent session OF the
Mothers Congress in Des Moines,
and it was left with the sentiment
still divided 1t is hard to lay down
rules for the governing of children
because mothers and fathers are not
alike, and the mothers congress that
tries. to solve the question will prob
ably be like the one in Des Moines,
SO far away from the solution of the
problem when the discussion lie ended
and when it is begun.
According to newspaper reports,
there is a mother, Mrs. Mary Bannis-
ter Willard. sister-in-law OF the late
Frances Willard in the city of Evan
ston, having come from across the
water because of a series of articles
now running in Success, written by
her son without her approval. This
may or may not be the cause of her re-
turn to this country after several
years abroad, but it is quite probable
that this series of articles is publish
ed against her wishes. She was for
merly engaged in the temperance
work with Miss Willard and was for
time the editor of the Union Signal.
One of the important features of the
articles Of Josiah Flynt," Crank
Willard) which are given the title OF
my Life-So Far" is the reflection
of his home life. In his introduction
he describes the story of his life as
"the strange, sad life story of man,
who, after thirty years of wandering,
found the end Of the rainbow" In
telling of the punishment he used to
receive from his father, he says:
IT am afraid that learned to hate
him. / also learned to deceive and
pilfer. | took to lying and stealing
small things because this seemed the
easiest way to get happiness Whip
pings are going to come sooner or
later anyhow, reasoned, SO why not
achieve my ends by trickery and de-
ception.''
Speaking of his fathers death and
his own feelings at the time Willard
writes:
"My father died in hotel in Chi,
cago after but three days illness
They brought him home to the village
and he lay in his coffin in our parlor
for a day or two before the funeral
shall never forget the feeling had
when saw his tall gaunt form
stretched out helpless in the casket
We'll, you'll never lick me any more
thought. Henceforth freedom for
me was in sight Cruel thoughts these
for boy of eight, with his dead faith.
er lying in front of him and his moth.
er sobbing over his bier. Sad thoughts
indeed, and have learned to recast
them into gentler mold as life passed
by and could think more nationally
But at that time l considered them
natural-that they were genuine
have never had any doubt"
He tells of Evanston, his home, be
ing a stronghold of Methodism, and
adds, "such religious instruction as
could stand was also found in this
fold-or shall | say party?" Then he
compares Methodism with political
party as follows:
II have been impressed with the
similarities in Methodism as relig
ion and politics as business. The
ference is woefully like that in politi
cal conventions. Men who want tc
be bishops pull wires and secure sup
porters as our political officers in the
nation and Office seekers in conven
tions make their arrangements and the
fat jobs in the ministry are as earn
estly coveted by aspiring preachers
as are political Offices in the nation
at large. Perhaps this is all right;
certainly in figures, churches and con
certs count, the Methodists have done
great work; but Methodism as q
religious cult had to pass me by
The conclusions from his writings
so Far" will probably be that the
youth was OVERTURNED" in Methodisn
and religion in general, with an &C
companying restraint. If this be true
Frank Willard is not alone. Search
will show hundreds in his class. In
Des Moines Sunday some saloon evan
gelists went to the county Jail and
found that of the thirty prisoners
there every one had a Christian moth
er and themselves were reared in the
Christian faith. This may or not be
relevant for there is nothing to show
r that any of these had been "over
trained" but there are plenty of in
stances.
Parents who devote years of theil
lives to efforts toward uplifting others
are often compelled to drink of the
bitter cup in the sight of their failure
in leading their own children Alright
There is volume written in the
phrase, "Such religion as l coulc
stand" and in "Methodism as a cult
had to pass me by which many
young men can understand. Religion
and restraint spell ruination for some
while others reach the right end in