12
Christian Education
they shun evil influences and vicious society, and then are unavoidably
compelled to be in dangerous company, they will have strength of
character to stand for the right and preserve principle, and will come
forth in the strength of God with their morals untainted. The moral
powers of youth who have been properly educated, if they make God
their trust, will be equal to stand the most powerful test.
If parents would feel it a solemn duty that God enjoins upon them
to educate their children for usefulness in this life, if they would
adorn the inner temple of the souls of their sons and daughters for
the immortal life, we should see a great change in society for the
better. And then there would not be manifest so great indifference to
practical godliness, and it would not be as difficult to arouse the moral
sensibilities of children to understand the claims that God has upon
them. But parents become more and more careless in the education
of their children in the useful branches. Many parents allow their
children to form wrong habits, and to follow their inclination rather
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than to impress upon their minds the danger of their doing this, and
the necessity of their being controlled by principle.
Children frequently engage in a piece of work, and become per-
plexed or weary of it, and wish to change and take hold of something
new, although they entered upon the work with enthusiasm. Thus they
may take hold of several things, meet with a little discouragement,
and give them up; and thus pass from one thing to another, perfecting
nothing. Parents should not be so much engaged with other things
that they have not time patiently to discipline those developing minds.
They should not allow the love of change to control their children. A
few words of encouragement or a little help at the right time may carry
them over their trouble and discouragement, and the satisfaction they
will have in seeing completed the task they undertook will stimulate
them to greater exertion.
Many children, for want of words of encouragement, and a little
assistance in their efforts in childhood and youth, become disheartened,
and change from one thing to another. And they carry this sad defect
with them in mature life. They cannot make a success of anything
they engage in; for they have not been taught to persevere under
discouraging circumstances. Thus the entire lifetime of many proves
a failure because they did not have correct discipline. The education