The Washington herald., 1907-04-14
A LAY SERMON.
By a LAYMAN.

A<k A@L~AA4sAN<ANs
BY a LAYMAN.
when ne Is old he VIII not depart from it--FroF-
sIhs Of Solomon
This text coming from him who was
/ denominated the wisest Of mankind is
often quoted, but, I fear. seldom pursued.
IN the first place, there are, and always
viii be, differences OF opinion as to what
IS meant by "the way he should go
Each parent has his own idea about 1t,
and no two win often fully agree.
The teaching of Spartan children was
TO tell the truth and learn how to shoot. 4"
Taking the education In shooting In a
broad sense, I am inclined to favor this
brief statement Of infant education:
President Roosevelt says that his father
always drilled into us that we had to
work, and that we had TO count in the
world, and that we must not be afraid.
and that we must be unsel4Th and truth
ful, That We must not be afraid" is
not this the same as learning how 10
shoot?
solomon in other proverbs let's us know
something of his idea Of training up a
child. In one he says, Withhold not cor
/ rection from the child, for il thou beatest
him with the rod he shall not die" and
IN another proverb he says, Thou shalt
beat him with the rod. and shalt deliver
his soul from hell" I submit that this
would not be very popular teaching from
modern pulpits
As TO punishment of children-in an
article IN recent magazine which I have
read there are some very wise observa-
tions on what is termed the science Of
punishment We are all familiar with
the proverb Of Spare the rod. and spoil
the child, and with the poets lines. Just
as the twig is bent the tree Is inclined.
Happily the rod business" has passed
out OF use. both in families and In our
schools. Brute force has ceased as a
means TO bend the twig." and more
intelligent and humane eourse for the
correction of children has come into COM
mon use. Yet there remains many
changes in the mode Of the punishment
OF children which should be adopted.
Here is "a very good statement of pre-
eept and practice ia the government Of
children ia the present day:
PRECEPT AND PRACTICE.
Children require the utmost care.
less racket. boysG
With all their vhims We should forbear.
Auu stop that nose3
Their paths with roses we should strew
In inlauthoad.
Jesse if come there 70 sou,
ii beat sou goodg
Hon .--lrf % ,--tef, ts..-- r,.,-.f- ...-f-rz
As years go bsi
tlou Kids viii do as yOu are told
Or IN know whyl
thi-dftn should he cauessed and led.
We should invite
dane pat those little imps 10 bed
Hant 30 write.
-Courier-JoaruaI
Many a child Is punished without know
ing that he is punished, or rather for
what ne Is punished. he may not know
that he was guilty Of any wrong or that
the punishment is given for an ofense.
Think of a little boy who was ordered 10
give up wearing his precious watch for
time, as a penalty for some minor
oHense which had nothing TO do with
watches or property The next time he
did the same deed. he met his fathers
feprimanu with a CHEEKY plea that he had
oDedientiy taken Of his watch. 4 punish
ment may thus be taken as a kind ,f
conditional sanction 7 have known chill
dren who We're smacked BY their parent
VINO showed eventually that they did not
know that the casugatiOn meant that the
particular deed was wrong Punishment
10 children should he intelligent and fair.
timely and sure. and the child should be
reasoned with. and the Wrongrulness. Of
the offense explained.
Severity does not reform: IN fact IL
tends to retard reformation A child
treated inteliigently viii be brought 10
see what is Objectionable in mis- course.
In many cases the child thus treated viii
often cooperate with his parents Nothing
Is more injurious 20 a child than TO learn
that his parents do not trust him. this
makes him evasive. If not deceitful. and
often untrutEful. Think Of a boy who
having told an untruth vas placarded on
his back. Il am q Har" Was not this
enough 20 make him "a lar, and destroy
his ife? II is however, a singular fact /
that very many children turn out better
than their training. but these cases are !
exceptional
Parents should take their children into
their confidence. Let them n3t fear their
parents, bat love them, and obey. moi
from fear but from love. They should T.
be reasoned with. not sc0lded. and told I
that 1t is always best to obey. Teach /
them what is right, and what is wrong /
and do not frighten them with fairy tales I
Teach them TO speak the truth and 4
learn how 10 shoot" that Is, not 10 be /
afraid This is the way to bring up a /
child In the way it should &C.
Compare the text and the other quota I
tions from the wise Solomon with the
saying of Jesus, Suffer little children 10 1
come unto Ne. for of such is the King
dom of Heaven %