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Selected Messages Book 2
they had not the least want of food. All that was required was a little of
the mother’s time and attention. But she regarded her time altogether
too precious to devote to the amusement of her children. Perhaps the
arrangement of her house in a tasteful manner for visitors to praise,
and to have her food cooked in a fashionable style, are with her higher
considerations than the happiness and health of her children.
Intemperance in eating and in labor debilitates the parents, often
making them nervous, and disqualifying them to rightly discharge
their duty to their children. Three times a day parents and children
gather around the table, loaded with a variety of fashionable foods.
The merits of each dish has to be tested. Perhaps the mother had toiled
till she was heated, and exhausted, and was not in a condition to take
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even the simplest food till she had first had a period of rest. The food
she wearied herself in preparing was wholly unfit for her at any time,
but especially taxes the digestive organs when the blood is heated and
the system exhausted. Those who have thus persisted in violating the
laws of their being, have been compelled to pay the penalty at some
period in their life.
There are ample reasons why there are so many nervous women in
the world, complaining of the dyspepsia, with its train of evils. The
cause has been followed by the effect. It is impossible for intemperate
persons to be patient. They must first reform bad habits, learn to live
healthfully, and then it will not be difficult for them to be patient.
Many do not seem to understand the relation the mind sustains to the
body. If the system is deranged by improper food, the brain and nerves
are affected, and slight things annoy those who are thus afflicted.
Little difficulties are to them troubles mountain high. Persons thus
situated are unfitted to properly train their children. Their life will
be marked with extremes, sometimes very indulgent, at other times
severe, censuring for trifles which deserved no notice.
The mother frequently sends her children from her presence, be-
cause she thinks she cannot endure the noise occasioned by their happy
frolics. But with no mother’s eye over them to approbate, or disap-
prove, at the right time, unhappy differences often arise. A word from
the mother would set all right again. They soon become weary, and
desire change, and go into the street for amusement, and pure, innocent
minded children are driven into bad company, and evil communica-
tions breathed into their ears corrupt their good manners. The mother