The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-09-12

and to be kept in ignorance of many
things. 1t is a difficult right to
maintain in these days, especially
after child has learned to read.
But I 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. AndIspeak not only of con-
versation relating to gross crimes OF
lust and violence, but of unklnd
criticism, Of ordinary gossip, of dis
trust, insinuation and ridicule. Many
of us, fear, are in no position to
complain of the newspapers, nor even
of the unwholesome 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 safeguarding
Of their innocence more carefully
distinguished from the foolish with
holding of necessary knowledge!
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 our utterly false sense OF
propriety, has been for many gener-
ations, 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 so fully recognized
as it is in our day. 1t is felt to be
wrong and disgrace if one child is
left without a seat in a school,, or
kept out of it. There never we're so
many people interested in education
al methods and institutions. There
never was such a widespread appre-
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-
lieve parents from their responsible
ty for their children. If shortcom-
ings 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, o. SYM
pathetic interest.
In the religious inst uction 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 e religious parentage and of 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 godly parentage. We
concede the right of every child to
be we'll born. Is it too much to say
that every child has 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? 49,.
Among the rights OF child which
should be considered il connection
with the right to be taught, and
bearing particularly upon his relig-
ious training, are the rights Of
childhood's faith. How simple it is!
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's
faith. 1t is wicked to make light of
it to ridicule it, to embarrass it in
any way. But we have no right, on
the other hand, to impose upon it,
to trif1e with it, to burden it. 1t 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" I
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 it means to sit down
with Him there, and desire to
come? Forbid them not! Forbid
them not; For Of such is the king
DOM"