144 NOTICES OF BOOKS. NOTICES OF BOOKS. LECTURES TO CHILDREN, BY REV. JOHN TODD, NORTHAMPTON.-Mr. Todd seems to have acquired the rare and difficult art of preaching successfully to children. He appears to be, in his congregation, what we could wish every minister of the Gospel to be, "A Children's Minister." We have not only read his lectures with pleasure to ourselves, but we have also tested their effect upon children. At the recent formation of a Maternal Association, in E—, where many mothers and children were collected, remarks were made to the children, from a recollection of Mr. Todd's third lecture, founded upon the passage, "There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth."-Luke xv. 10. The mothers who were present expressed it as their opinion, that impressions were made upon the minds of their children, on this occasion, which will never be effaced. The truths and principles of the Gospel are so familiarly illustrated in these lectures, that they may be comprehended even by very young children. THE FATHER'S BOOK, BY THEODORE DWIGHT, JUN.—"The object of this little volume is to suggest to the father of a family, principles and methods for the instruction of children in intellectual, moral, and religious truths, and for training them up to usefulness and happiness, here and hereafter." We have perused this little volume with care, and consider it a work of merit, equally adapted to the use of both parents. The elements of education, of which it treats, are made perspicuous by practical and familiar illustration, evidently the result of the author's own experience and observation. We consider it a bow of promise in our horizon, that men so eminently qualified by nature and by education, as Mr. Dwight, are giving their attention to this species of writing. Right views of the topics discussed in this work, are essential to the formation of right habits in children; and if, as one has observed, "man is a bundle of habits," how can a parent be ignorant of such principles and methods in training their offspring, as are best adapted to make them wise and good, and yet be innocent? We have not room to make extracts. Even the chapter on playthings, sports, amusements, and exercise, we believe will more than compensate most parents for the money which this little voluine would cost. MOTHER'S MAGAZINE. FOR OCTOBER, 1834. For the Mother's Magazine. ESSAYS ON HOME INSTRUCTION. NO. I. "There are great, though I think not insuperable difficulties in the way of a mother's educating her own children, but it is a plan so evidently pointed out by God himself, that it should not be hastily relinquished. The influence of a mother over the affections of her child, during the years of infancy, enables her not only to cultivate its mind, but to produce on its heart those impressions which it will never lose in after intercourse with the world; and which, through the influence of the Holy Spirit, she may firmly believe will enable it to overcome the various temptations by which it may be assailed.” -Aids to Mental Development. "Let not mothers fancy that they have not time for educating their daughters. In the gayest and busiest life, some portion can be at command; and in the disposition of time, can any claim be more imperative? * A mother best knows the powers of her children, and can adapt her demands upon their attention accordingly, and her love will teach her modes of instruction unknown in schools." -Thoughts on Domestic Education, by a Mother. I MAY be mistaken, I trust I am, but I feel that the subject of Home Instruction is one not sufficiently meditated upon by Christian mothers of the present day; at all events, it is but rarely practised. I would shrink from discussing the question, were I not sustained in my own ideas of it, by so many able advocates of the cause of education. May I mention the illustrious names of Babington, Gisborne, Fenelon, Hannah More, J. A. James, Mrs. Taylor of Ongar, Buckminster, Madame Campan, Burgh, Miss C. Fry, and the authors of the works from which I have taken my text? I should fear to advance a theory which is rarely illustrated by practice, were I not sanctioned by so many wise and experienced persons. To this subject I now solicit the attention of Christian mothers. Children are for the most part confided to the care of comparative strangers for the greater part of the day; some are even entirely removed from the parental roof and the parental eye, confided to those who do not love them: how can they love new scholars, whom in a short time they may part from, never to meet again? They do not know the characters of the children, for the children are always under restraint in their presence. I wish not to be misunderstood; I consider good schools as excellent auxiliaries to education, in those cases where circumstances do not permit their mother to be instructress also; such, for instance, as ill-health, a numerous family of very young children, or where the mother is herself ignorant and uneducated. But where these objections do not occur, why do not mothers themselves cultivate their young "olive plants;" themselves polish those priceless gems, which will form the most brilliant jewels that will sparkle in those eternal diadems of glory that may one day bind their brows? I will briefly state what appears to me the most obvious disadvantages arising from the common plan of having children educated in common schools. I speak of girls more particularly. Few mothers are capable of instructing their sons, excepting for the earlier parts of of their lives; therefore I address mothers respecting the education of children of both sexes in extreme youth, and the entire education of their daughters. Mothers may solicit aids and assistants, if needful, but they, most assuredly, should be the chief governesses of their daughters. The most obvious disadvantages of a school education are these: In most schools the teachers do not even pretend to any thing more than "merely insuring the getting of lessons, and the maintenance of subordination." The heart, and its affections are uncontrolled, unregulated. The scriptures are rarely made the subject of study, investigation, or research-still more rarely of practical application; while profane history, and its fanciful, poetical mythology, is deeply impressed upon the memory, and gives its own coloring to the young imagination. What knowledge is acquired, is frequently purely superficial, just sufficient to attract and dazzle, without any depth or reflection. Too often, girlish friendships are formed, which bias the whole future life, estranging the affections of the timid and inexperienced from their fond mother, leading them to view her who should be their dearest friend, confident, and counsellor, as a restraint upon their actions and feelings. I do not say the governess is to be blamed for this. As Caroline Fry, in her "Listener," justly observes: She cannot assume a mother's duties or affect her cares, though she may, and often does, most conscientiously fulfil her own; that is, she does what she engages to do—the best a stranger can do for a stranger's children.” Can she know a child's character as intimately and thoroughly as the mother, who has cherished it in infancy, and watched every budding thought, hailed every blossoming virtue, and crushed every embryo vice? Can she feel a mother's strong absorbing love, her heavy responsibility, her prayerful anxiety, for twenty, thirty, or forty, who are constantly entering and leaving her seminary, scarcely more stationary than the beautiful, revolving colors of the kaleidescope? Can she love these, can she even pay them the same attention that a mother will pay to the few dearest and nearest to her heart? Oh, no! it is impossible. I shall now proceed to the consideration of the excuses usually urged by mothers for neglecting to perform this solemn duty, and I will endeavor to examine them carefully and impartially. But I beseech you, dear Christian mothers, do not offer any excuses that you cannot, justifiably and with clear consciences, urge at the bar of God on the judgment day! The most common excuse usually urged is want of time: this, at first view, appears a very plausible one. Mothers in this country, with but rare exceptions, are their own housekeepers, frequently their own seamstresses: these avocations, of course, require their time and attention. But if these duties do not occupy the greater portion of their time, there is still some to spare for the greatest work we mothers have to do upon earth, viz. to bring up our little ones "in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." If, however, in order properly to attend to the temporal wants of the family, this portion of her duty so far encroaches upon the mother's time, that she cannot attend to the spiritual, moral and intellectual cultivation of her offspring, I would respectfully suggest the following question. Would it not be better, if circumstances possibly will admit of it, to hire a seamstress, or even an additional servant, and thus give the mother leisure to attend to her children's education? Thus would the Christian mother have opportunity to give "line upon line, and precept upon precept, here a little and there a little;" to pour out to their thirsty souls the waters of knowledge, and the dews of gospel truth, like a fertilizing stream, which brings forth fruits and foliage in rich abundance. Thus could she gather them "as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wing," close under her maternal guidance and protection, shielding them from protection and danger, and leading them in the "ways of peace and blessedness." I beg permission earnestly to press this subject upon the attention of mothers. Do, I beseech you, attend personally to the education of your children. Draw out their young minds by conversation. Lead them to think for themselves, and to reflect deeply upon every thing you teach, but most particularly upon the Scriptures, and upon the Christian plan of salvation. Try to make the Bible interesting to your children, by explaining it thoroughly to them, and practically applying it to their hearts. If you are not able to do this now, pray fervently for light and strength from above, to enable you to do so, and study all the best Scripture helps you can obtain, with attention and industry. In teaching reading, spelling, arithmetic, geography, grammar, botany, history and philosophy, in every branch of education, always keep religion constantly in view; let it never be lost sight on for a moment; let this be the primary object, the chief end of your instructions. Oh! how many golden opportunities does a mother enjoy for filling her children's minds with knowledge of the right sort, for cultivating the heart's best affections, for correcting the temper, for eradicating those weeds which our naturally corrupt hearts generate with such frightful fertility, and for sowing that good seed which will bring a hundred fold, even in this life, and may be the means of their eternal salvation! I do not ask can but will indifferent teachers do this? Can they have such opportunity? and if they have, which is questionable, can they so strongly possess the affections of their pupils? Love is a powerful and important assistant both to the teacher and to the taught. Mothers! do not dismiss this subject hastily from your thoughts! It is one that demands deep reflection, and mature and prayerful consideration. Remember that your children are immortal beings, and that you are responsible for their religious instruction. You cannot expect that the children whom you neglect for trivial reasons, whose affections you do not assiduously cultivate, will "hereafter arise, and call you blessed." I entreat you, do not dismiss this subject without prayer and reflection. Beware how you lightly transfer the instruction of your children to a stranger! Examine well your own hearts, and see that your reasons are approved by your consciences-but think deeply before you decide. It is an important question. Gloucester County, N. J. 1834. ZILLAH. MRS. G. and myself have felt ourselves highly gratified and obliged by your publication the last year. We have had much pleasure in recommending it and its objects to the attention of many parents with whom we have met in our journeyings. We are now expect. ing to embark for India in the course of a month or two, but we should be glad, both for ourselves and for our European friends with whom we occasionally meet, still to receive the Mother's Magazine. USE OF MEANS. In our anxiety to see good objects accomplished, we are liable to grasp for the object itself, without due attention to the necessary and divinely-appointed intermediate means. We wish to see whole nations rise at once from their civil, moral, and religious degradation and corruption, to an elevated standard of social and religious character. We naturally wish to see whole pagan cities converted, and established in every branch of Christian character, by one sermon, or one tract, or one portion of scripture, without a reiterated use of almost ten thousand means, till the health and life of many are wasted in labor, and "those learn doctrine who are drawn from the breast." We long to see warlike nations lay down their arms, and become at once adepts in all the arts of peace, and fully imbued with its principles. Thousands of hearts would exult, if those who traffic and hold possessions in the bodies of men could be made, by one chapter in the Bible, or by one short address, to taste all the sweetness of loving their neighbor as themselves. And when we hear of great moral changes wrought abroad, and hear, as usual, but a short account of the means by which they were brought about, we can never adequately realize the investigations, and inquiries, and doubts, and fears, and labors, and expectations, and disappointments, and delays, which may have been submitted to and performed by those who were the instruments of those changes. In our prayers too, we ask for the accomplishment of vastly important ends, without realizing that we implicitly ask for a laborious and sometimes protracted process, in the use of means. Many, many times, perhaps, God is offended with our thoughtlessness in this respect, and then tells us in his providence, "Ye know not what ye ask." I know, indeed, that, as zeal without knowledge leads to presumptuous expectations, so unbelief checks or destroys these expectations of present good which are fully authorized. But while we engage zealously in those efforts which result in immediate good, we ought to be careful to perform those duties, which, with great and immediate good results are indispensable to permanent ones. Such are the duties which parents owe to their children. Most of the evils, that exist in a world of wickedness, result from a neglected or perverted early education. Such are the errors and superstitions existing among Jews, Mahometans, Pagans, and false Christians. Such are the seemingly almost incurable evils which all the pious mourn over in our country. As in Popish countries, where the scriptures are denied to all the common people, so in this country, where they, with all other reading, are denied to a part of the people, the community presently becomes fixed in the opinion that they are really not necessary to |