Marriage Relation
27
following the dictates of sound judgment, constantly having in view
the future well being of their children.
The first great object to be attained in the training of children
is soundness of constitution, which will prepare the way, in a great
measure for mental and moral training. Physical and moral health are
closely united. What an enormous weight of responsibility is seen
to rest upon parents, when we consider that the course pursued by
them, before the birth of their children, has very much to do with the
development of their characters after their birth.
Many children are left to come up with less attention from their
parents than a good farmer devotes to his dumb animals. Fathers, es-
pecially, are often guilty of manifesting less care for wife and children
than that shown to their cattle. A merciful farmer will take time, and
devote especial thought as to the best manner of managing his stock,
and will be particular that his valuable horses shall not be overworked,
overfed, or fed when heated, lest they be ruined. He will take time
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and care for his stock, lest they be injured by neglect, exposure, or
any improper treatment, and his increasing young stock depreciate
in value. He will observe regular periods for their eating, and will
know the amount of work they can perform without injuring them. In
order to accomplish this, he will provide them only the most healthful
food, in proper quantities, and at stated periods. By thus following the
dictates of reason, farmers are successful in preserving the strength of
their beasts. If the interest of every father, for his wife and children,
corresponded to that care manifested for his cattle, in that degree that
their lives are more valuable than the dumb animals, there would be
an entire reformation in every family, and human misery be far less.
Great care should be manifested by parents in providing them the
most healthful articles of food for themselves and for their children.
And in no case should they place before their children food which their
reason teaches them is not conducive to health, but which would fever
the system, and derange the digestive organs. Parents do not study
from cause to effect in regard to their children, as in the case of their
dumb animals, and do not reason that to overwork, to eat after violent
exercise, and when much exhausted, and heated, will injure the health
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of human beings, as well as the health of dumb animals, and will lay
the foundation for a broken constitution in man, as well as in beasts.