Norwich bulletin., 1910-12-05
EARLY MORAL AND
 RELIGIOUS TRAINING
Subject of Sermon by Rev. Joseph F.
 Cobb for Rally Sunday.


 Rev. Joseph F. Sodu at the morning service made d plea for early moral and religious training or education. His text was Prov. 29:15b, "A child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame"
 Speaking of the subject of early moral and religious education, he said: There is no subject more wor- thy the attention not only of parents but of all who feel interested in the welfare of mankind, in the progress of society, and in the honor and pros perity of their country. What can be or more importance than the inculca- tion of correct principles. and the cs- tablishment of right motives, aims and dispositions in the moral natures of the young?
 What can be more essential to their own welfare and usefulness and to the welfare and happiness of their par ents and the community in which they live, than proper early moral instruc ton and religious culture and disci- pline?
 It is considered necessary and wise that parents should give to their chil- dren at least the rudiments of a good English education, but does it not ap- peal to you that in estimating the comparative value of the mental and moral educa tion that much must be said in favor of the moral?
 It is exceedingly important that he should form correct habits and fortify himself against temptation, more so than that he be able to demonstrate a problem in Euclid. It is far better that his heart receive right moral inn pressions and Virtuous inclinations than that his head should be filled with any amount of scientific or liter ary information. The person who is morally educated will be the more use- full and respectable citizen than the one who has merely intellectual knowl- edge and is deficient in virtuous prin- ciple.
 Of course we all believe in both in tellectual and moral training and ed- uca ton.
 Moral principles, virtuous aims, and lessons of piety and goodness become the guiding and controlling power to human conduct and life They are the helm and compass by which to direct man on the voyage of human exist ence. X faithful parent will not neg lect to place in the hands of his chil- dren those means and instrumental ties by which his character reputa = cured. A faithful parents will not neg lect to impart to the minds of his children a knowledge of those duties which they owe to thems selves, their Maker and their fellow beings, or to impress upon their young affections l LAlS' 4A'lelS5V CA k'dl itN clAAA tiJi4tLCcSa Apologies and excuses are often pre- sented to justify this difference. Parents sometimes think it better to leave their children to themselves to act their own pleasure as respects attending church and Sunday school until they become men and women then they will be better prepared to receive moral and religious inatruc- tion their minds will be perfectly 1 free from any preconceived opinions and ideas and therefore ready with perfect candor and impartiality to de- eide between truth and error, right and wrong.
 This reasoning is not good logic ! The author of the text did not agree with this reasoning, for he said, "A child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame"
 l Parents do not deem it advisable tc leave the intellectual improvement oI 1 their children to themselves. If par. 1 ents admit that it is necessary that 1 the mind should be instructed anC l cultivated in early life why not witt 1 equal propriety admit that the edu- l cation of the heart and conscience, { i laying of the foundation of a goot moral character and virtuous conduc l is also important The expectation l that a child will key his mind anC l heart perfectly free from any kind 0 1 impression until he arrives at years 1 of discretion is perfectly groundless | It Is utterly impossible. Thoughts ant ] ideas will spring up i'll the mind. i'm 1 pTessions will be made upon his hear l and his whole character and course o i action will receive such a tendenC. 1 during early life, which no amount 0 1 faithfulness and attention in futur' l years can wholly eradicate or change 1 Whoever heard of a person arriving l at tho age Of maturity. but who hat ! some kind of bias given to his min' 1 and feelings and some kind of char l acter already formed?
 l Parental kindness and affection ar l of great worth and beauty, yet the. ] should be guided and directed by al l enlightened judgment, they should b 1 combined with wisdom and discre ! tion. Although there are many thing 1 8 child might desire, it does not fol 1 low that he should always be grati 1 fed. 4 parents love should induc' 1 him to regard the future as well d l the present in the management an, government of his children. He shoult 1 oppose those wishes and wants whicl I he regards injurious in their tenden 1 cies, even though it might cause pres l ent pain and dissatisfaction. No on 1 denies the statement that parent 1 have more reason to expect that thei | children will be virtuous and uprigh 1 if they receive proper moral traininl | in early life than if this part of thei l education has been neglected. l Those who have lived to a good az l know how strong and tenacious ar l early habits and impressions. The, are more enduring than those recciv 1 ed at later periods of existence. Tn 1 minds of the young are tender and sus l ceptible and are therefore capable 0 l receiving deep and lasting impress 1 sions.
 We ought to see to it that ina SC | of purity. love and holiness Rr' l stamped upon the affections of child ] hood so that the evils and temptation of the world can never eradicate o 1 efface them.
 Moral enterprises and reforms wi l be crowned with greater success wEe | work is commenced with the young l It is a very difficult matter to re 1 form those who have been long ad
 dicted to evil habits, for their mind | have become confirmed and their pre- judices hardened into a state of ob
 stinacy. If each child of the presen l generation was thus educated W
 should have a different state of soci | ety. This subject, therefore. ought t 1 commend itself n tho attp0fior1 n