Evening star., 1939-08-28
Another Reader Offers Interesting Recipe Ounce
Teach Child
To Assert
His Will
Spiritual Courage
Necessary for.
Later Life
BY ANGELO PATRI.

One of the weakest, most serious
defenses OF wrong doing is the
plaintive He made me do it."
"Wel, she coaxed me-" If we could
get children to understand that
nobody under the sun can compel
their wills and that they, and they
only, control their actions we could
save them much grief.
One child Is stronger than an
other in will and purpose, and he
does his best to sway the weaker
one, with success usually. When
the settlement for the error has
to be made, and it cannot be avoid
ed, the stronger one goes his way
blithely He gets out of it some
how. He has used the weaker one
for his purpose and covered his
own wrong doing. All the victim
can manage for himself is, "He
made me do it."
We have to try to strengthen
the soul of the helpless one. Begin
by attending to his body, building
up his health. Guard his diet, his
hours Of sleep, play, recreation of
all sorts. Watch to help him find
the best possible associates, so
their influence can be used for his
Strengthening. Feed him we'll. Do
what you can to stimulate his spir-
!tual courage. Here he is weakest.
I think that every child, strong
or weak, ought to know the story
Nf no y,tA1 hV, oy.f TI,ofil Ho,,;41se
spirit is in him he will follow the
crowd, lie down under pressure,
sacrifice his principles, lose his soul
and die indeed. The story of Daniel,
told and retold, ought to inspire the
children to stand up for what they
believe to be right for them and dare
the consequences. OF that stuff
martyrs are made. While few are
called to make major sacrifice all
are called upon to choose between
right and wrong, and often they
must suffer for their choice as the
martyrs did, but they also tri-
umph and learn the glory of being
men and women.
I don't want children to be driven
into being heroes. That's as bad as
the other extreme. What is needed
is the teaching and example that
inspire children and youth to make
q choice between one side and an
other and to stick by that decision
once 1t has been made for what they
believe to be truth and righteous
ness.
C,,Nt9 lnpiciNvoc MT y To ~
made so often that they are ordi-
nary. Lions do not face us daily.
But in children's daily lives deci-
sions between what they know to
be right for them and what some
body else wants, or even what they
want to the contrary, must be made.
Mother said never to 60 riding
after school, but the others are 60
ing. Why can't I? Helen says it's
all right. They all want me to go.
I'll be called sissy and mothers
baby il don't. I'm going" And
that's too bad.
We want to strengthen children
against the pressure that drives
them into trouble. We want them
to know they must stand alone in
the day of retribution, the friends
who drove them are not there to
answer. We want them to develop
a spiritual courage that enables
them to decide what they want to do
and to do it in spite of the world.
Daniel. you remember, stood up to
the King, and the lions that were
to devour him lay down at his feet
Introduce Daniel to the children
and let them live In his spirit until
1t Is their own.