Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-25
WANTS CHILDREN IN PEWs
MARGARET E. SANGSTER MAKES
PLEA FOR THEM.
In Paper Read Before Mothers
Meeting Today, She Gives Views
on Early Spiritual Training.

In connection with the celebration of the
nineteenth anniversary of the founding of
the American Society of Religious Educa-
ton, a meeting for mothers and teachers
was held in the Calvary Baptist Church
this afternoon. Mrs. John N. Culbertson
presided. One of the features of the ses-
sion was a paper on early Spiritual
Training in the Home by Margaret E.
Sangster. read by Mrs. ]. E. Gilbert In
the course of the paper Mrs. Sangster
says:
When shall / begin to tell my little
child about God? When shall I let her
know that there is spiritual life?'
1.-The question is repeated in one form
or another by anxious mothers longing to
do right. yet hesitating to unveil before
their children's eyes what seem to them
the incomprehensible mysteries.
"Long before a child can speak. in the
earliest unfolding of it's being, mother
should pray over its cradle. Soon she
may clasp the tiny hands and repeat a
prayer as she does so. AS the baby life
with amazing, almost incredible, rapidity
assumes new forms and phases, with the
first step. the first speech, the first as
sertion of individuality should come the
first prayer.
"'Our Father. Who art in heaven is to
be taught the child a little later, and then
the Ten Commandments. the Apostles
Greed, the Beatitudes and some of the
tender and majestic psalms of David
may be learned, verse by verse. until the
child knows them by heart.
"A custom in devout households is to
let the youngest child often say grace at
the table. Any child in the home should
be ready to ask the blessing If requested
to do so. and the daily bread should thus
be connected in the child's thought with
Him Who gives it as His children need
to be supplied.
MANY Of us think that as the child Of
king is by right of his royal birth a
prince from the beginning so every little
child born into a Christian home. conse-
Grated from the cradle, is by right of
birth a Christian child. A little child of
child's right to be admitted to the close
care and guardianship of the church and
received into its communion.
Mothers should not only pray for their
children, but at times they should pray
with them. Prayer should be as simple
and direct as talk with friend who is
waiting to bless by a swift answer and
who never turns any one away empty.
Familiarity with that well Of pure and
noble English. the Bible, cannot be at
tanned perfectly after the golden age Of
childhood has passed by. In home
where family prayers are daily conducted
the children hear large portions of Gods
Word, and acquire texts and phrases. and
add to their stock Of language beautiful
and fitting. quaint and poetical, rich and
ornate diction that they can in no other
way ever receive. Such authors as
Shakespeare. Dickens, Thackeray, Carlyle
and other masters in the past show a
knowledge of the Bible and a facility in
early reading and study. John Bunyan
was saturated with the Bible and 1t is
the color OF that inspired Book which has
made immortal his radiant Pilgrims
Progress John Ruskin. whose style in
Modern Painters Sesame and Lilies
Stones of Venice and other most sug-
gestive and satisfying books. is the de-
light of the cultured reader, as child
was drilled in the Bible, reading it over
and over at his mothers knee. and men,
orizing many chapters. Frederick w.
Robertson. whose influence over two gen.
erations of English-speaking people. has
been profound, knew the whole New Tes-
lament by heart. Rudyard kipling. the
most interesting and virile among our
living men of letters. SO knows the Bible
that illusions drawn from it crop up in
almost every page.
That the early religious training in the
home Is now neglected cannot be denied.
Our college students as a mass have but
slight acquaintance with il as litera rtIre
and but slight respect for its binding
uthority. The Epidemic Of crime ard the
widespread corruption which the news
papers chronicle, and Which is gen.a.,y
deplored. may be traced to decline in
the old fear of God which made men
straightforward and kept them honest
and clean. If again the home shall instil
in its little children love for the Bible
= co..
will draw deeper breath Of security and
our penitentiaries will not be recruited
from what we call the better classes.
THE Bible is big. beautiful story
the stories of the garden of Eden of
Enoch, who walked with God, walked
SO far one day. said a child. that he
went into Gods house and stayed there
of Noah. Samuel, Samson, David. Daniel,
the children in the fiery furnace. of Ruth
and Esther. of Vashti. of Mary the moth
err of Jesus. and of Jesus Himself Sum
day evening should be for a child very
happy time. when there may be singing
and storytelling, beautiful Storytelling
firm the book of God.
THAT which is implanted in the mind
when 1t Is most receptive. most elastic,
when 1t is wax to receive and marble
to RETAIN" is never lost To old age the
mind treasures the truths taught in early
childhood. AS We do not leave to the
careless opinion of childhood the euuca-
ton In other directions, which it must
have to be ready for the future, as,
whether or not it enjoys school. to school
1t is sent; as arithmetic and gram
mar are made obligatory SO, equally.
with a sense of duty to the younger life.
we should early impart religious know
ledge. The first seven years tinge the
entire life. God and mother have the
nrst chance. Why turn in unbelief or heed
lessness away from the opportunity to
train your little one for heaven? You
may SO mold him that no later influence
can undo your work
"A fallacy that ought not to obtain an
instant's acceptance in an age of en-
lfghtenment Is that religion is gloomy.
and that to teach child anything about
God and duty is to cloud his morning
with premature darkness. From those
who have entered into and dwelt in the
sweet. pure sunlight of Gods love no
such folly can come. 1t is the impression
only of those who stand outside
In the Christian training of a little
child respect and love for the 8, bbath
should have a large share. But the best
day in the week should not be forbidding
In its aspect. nor hedged about with
Thou shalt not Remember the sab
bath day to keep 1t holy is the never
1t must be happy: OF course. little people
cannot sit the livelong day straight up
IN their chairs and keep perfectly still;
they must play. The lambs play and the
birds sing on Sunday as on other days.
The little girl should not be Obliged to
lock up her doll, any more than the
H.