The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1911-01-12
READ At MOTHERS MEETING
Interesting Paper on Subject Of Rear
ing Childrea.

Helm and read by her, was listened
TO with great interest by the large
number OF ladies present;
OF all the many phases OF human
love there is none so pure and un-
selfish. so strong and deathless as
the love OF parent for child.
We all know this in a general
way. but no one can realize, OF fully
appreciate. the great height and
depth of parental love, unless at
some time they have held close to
their heart the tiny form OF theiT
own babe and felt the infinite ten
derness and compassion of parent
hood thrilling every fiber Of their
being.
Christ uses the love of husband
/ for wife to typify His love for the
church and the close and tender re-
Z lation existing between them. but
/ Il Is the parent love He uses to
reveal TO US the unlimited love and
/ boundl-ss pity of our Heavenly
Father.
We read much of the unrest and
dissatisfaction prevailing among
the women of today, how they wish
20 escape from the drudgery. as II
is called. of home life and mother
hood. that they may be free to use
their talents in some higher or mob
Ter work.
There Is no higher or nObler
work giVen woman to perform. seek
for il where she may. than to keep
her own home pure and happy and
TO fill as God meant she should
the sacred place OF mother.
To become such a mother, as
He would have us. will bring into
use all the talents God has given
US II means that We must eXer-
els, an infinite love ana patience.
that we be capable OF cheerful self
sacrifice. of constant service and
that we stand ever ready with ten
der sympathy. How hard and i'm
possible this would be without the
help and guidance of Him, who
gives the task.
The majority of Christian women
recognize the duties and response
oiitiSs OF their motherhood ana
sonscicntiously strive to fulfill them
We; there are many children in the
world today who are missing their
tirthright. a loving mothers ten
der care
There are women who attempt
to raise their children by proxy,
as it were. and shift their cares TO
me shoulders OF paid assistants. that
ihey may be free to seek pleasure or
fame elsewhere. in this way MISC
ing the close and tender relations
which should exist between mother
ana child.
Other women look carefully afiei
every material want and physical
IA Of thcir children. without a
thought o, the care they should b e-
SOW upon their mental and nosti
needs. cv realizing how NIUE. chi
dr,a crave the outward expires ion
Of mother love as given taem D.
loving words and tender caresses-
Again. our children fail 20 under
stand our love for taem. because
EN- we become so ABSORBED wi h
their other duties and cares that
wc do not give them the sympathy
We should in their small trou5lss
tn4t seem so trivial to us, but to
them are so real and hard 10 bear.
This. | think. is the main reason
we hear so much OF the lack oil
confidence between mother and
child. They fear to give US tnelr
confidence. lest they be met WIN
cgi icism and reproof, Instead OF
with the wise and loving sympa-
thy they crave. II a mother gains
The confidence OF her child while
snail and makes it feel that she
is really interested in what 1t tells
her il is safe 10 say in any trouble
or perplexity Of later life tina,
child will turn TO mother.
There Is still another class oil
mothers. and how more than SAD
that such class should exist.
Those who are absolutely indifieT-
en-. 10 what their children are or
what they may become, who nave
not the slightest conception OF
their spiritual responsibility.
There is a woman in our town
who said she did not care what
kind of men her boys became, she
would be dead by that time, and so
il would not matter to her. Can
YOU realize that there are such
mothers? and what can be expect
ed from their children?
A mothers life should be an IN
spiration to her child.
We may never know this side
the grave how great an iafluence
for good or i'll is exerted by moth
er. but we know IL does exist and
that our little ones watch us close
Is and fix their standard OF life.
not by the words of our mouths,
but by the acts of our daily life.
This remains their standard
through life as a general thing, for
the principles imbibed by a child
during the first ten years of life
lay the foundation of its character.
These years are spent almost entire
ly with the mother and under her
supervision, so you see how I'm
portant and serious a thing Is our
influence. Il does not cease with
our children either. but through
them will be exerted upon genera
lions still unborn to pass down
through the ages of time to meet
US when we shall stand up
yonder before the Great White
Throne.
Gould we but know what influence
we WELD
Over our little ones each day we
live
Methinks that we would be
More careful OF our actions as we
90
Through this strange world OF ours
below.
Could we but see,
Could we but know"
It has been said that a mothers
life is made up Of
Sorrow and Losses,
Anxieties and crosses"
This in a measure is true, but |
ii is also true that II is made up
of the deepest Joys and purest /
pleasures life can afford Mother
hood gives to the woman, who ac-
cepts it reverently,a clearer insight
into Gods great love; It molds and /
rOunda ont her character aa nothing /