Year: 1871

ANNM ANti 0N Uuhuf lhNNillt- hIf NtAllNE luMU
in their homes for the sober and serious work
Of the year, we would like to make suggcs.
tion in the interest Of the little ones. Why
not, in their behalf set apart an hour each
day, to be definitely known as "The Chill.
drens Hour" and to be made as pleasant
aud as useful to them az the combined re-
sources Of Christian household will permit?


The very best hour for such purpose will
be that Immediately following an early tea,
or (better still a late diuner Then the
whole family will be together and the older
members will need rest and recreation, which
they will best secure by giving themselves
body, mind, and soul-lor an hour or so
to the little ones who make home happy for
them. Owing to the rush and the whirl Of
business, many children grow up nowadays
in practical ignorance Of the father whom
they are bound to love and obey while the
father is equally ignorant of the childish
natures which he is bound to train, govern,
and develop. The older brothers and sisters
in family, too-with their own studies
their own business, or their own pleasure to
engross their attenton-get in the way Of
practically absolving themselves from all but
the most imperative responsibility for the
welfare and happiness Of the little ones of the
household On the patient, oyerburdened
much enduring mother, pretty much all the
work of guiding, governing, and amusing the
lambs Of the flock, depends


Why should father settle down, as soon as
he has bolted his supper, TO his newspaper or
his bank account; John to his book, and
Mary and Jenny to their plans for to-morrow's
party? Haven't they some responsibility for
the welfare Of Willie and Charlie and Susie +?
And shouldn't they feel, and manifest, some
practical interest in those little prattlers ?
Wouldn't they do two hours work between
seven and eight, for good romp between six
and seven? Do not the clamors and bicker-
ings of the nurslings-who have exhausted,
hours ago, their slender stock of patience and
their scanty means of amusement--pead for
some better rejoinder than Do stop your
noise ~ Why not stop their noise for them
father and mother, brothers aud sisters
by giving the little ones right down good
time before they lay their curly heads on their
pillows? You won't mind their noise, you
know, when you are making twice as much
yourselves.


There are a great many things which may
be done to make the Children's Hour sea-
son of Joy to the childish heart. We don't
object, ourselves, to a good round game of
" Blind Mans Buff or Puss in the Cor.
ner :" but if mamma thinks that is too exil
arating for the hour just before bedtime, there
is still enough to be done to make the time
pass pleasantly. The practical mechanician
Of the family can bring JOY to many little
heart by repairing the days mishaps among
the playthings, and setting things to rights
for another vigorous campaign. The embryo
novelist Of the family can gather little group
about her to listen to some some simple story.
The musicians of the family will naturally
cluster about the piano, and take it out in
singing. And if father is excluded from
either group, how can he be better employed
than in adjusting childish grievances or re-
moving childish difficulties, whether they
spring up within the home circle or line the
rough aud thorny road to SCHOOL,


Enough to do, dear friends, if you have
only the mind and heart to do it and some.
thing that will richlypay to do, as a months
experience will demonstrate. Your little
ones will grow up profoundly impressed with
the fact that there Is no place like home "
and that impression is the surest safeguard
against moral pollution that can be found
outside the religion of Jesus Christ. Indeed,
we should think the Chldren's Hour practi.
cally failure if it did not serve, at least in-
directly, to interest the little ones in Him
who so dearly loved them. The story of the
Gross is the most interesting of all stories /;
and why might not the hour end in child
ish hymn and childish prayer? We can
conceive Of a Children's Hour which should
be as bright as the sunshine, as CHEEKY as
the breeze, aud yet seem to demand some re.
cognition of the Giver Of all Good at its
close. AT that iuncture, little Tommy might
be brought in (who-instead of being thrash
ed, or shut up in dark closet, for being naugh-
ty--had been simply debarred from all part
and lot in the Children's Hour,) and we war
rant you, by that time Tommy would be truly
penitent and firmly resolved not to do so
any more," Thus the Chidren's Hour might
be made means of discipline in more senses
than one.