GOVERNMENT OF CHILDREN. 89 sculptor Bacon, when he saw him putting up the monument of Lord Chat ham. "Take care what you are about, you work for eternity." Mothers, take care what you are about, you work for eternity. Yes, what you are now doing will affect the interests of unborn thousands, in heaven or in hell. If you draw on the souls of your children the lines of salvation, you may send forth a Samuel, a Mills, or a Payson, who shall turn many to righteousness, and shine as the stars forever and ever. If unfaithful you may send forth a son or a daughter to rivet the chains of damnation on untold thousands, and be conspicuous in eternity only for his deeper despair. 3. With care ought mothers to educate their daughters. Instead of sorrowing that they have daughters instead of sons, let them rejoice that they may educate their daughters to be the mothers of Samuels. 4. Let not Christian mothers who are poor say we can do nothing. Remember the mother in Vermont and Massachusetts. For the Mother's Magazine. GOVERNMENT OF CHILDREN. Mrs. W.-By publishing the following extract of a letter from an aged and highly respected clergyman to his daughter, on the GOVERNMENT OF CHILDREN, you will oblige some of your subscribers, and confer a benefit on the community of mothers. Yours, &c., F. L. S. "I have not time to go into a full treatise on family government, but will lay down the following rules for your daily and prayerful examination. 1. Exercise your authority as seldom as possible, and instead of it employ kind persuasion and deliberate reasoning; but when you exercise it make it absolute and irresistible. 2. Be careful how you threaten, but never lie. Threaten seldom, but never fail to execute. The parent who is open-mouthed to threaten, and threatens hastily, but is irresolute to punish, and when the child is not subdued by the first threat, repeats it half a dozen times with a voice of increased violence, and with many shakes and twitches of the little culprit, will certainly possess no authority. 3. Avoid tones and gestures expressive of agitation for trivial matters indicative of no depravity, and indicating only the heedlessness of forgetfulness of children, or perhaps nothing more than is common to all young animals, a love to use their limbs. In all such cases the tones should be kind and persuasive, rather than authoritative; and the severity and even the gravity of authority should be reserved exclusively for cases of disobedience or depravity, or for the prevention of serious evil. A perpetual fretting at children for little things, will inevitably harden their hearts and totally destroy parental authority and influence. There never was a fretting parent, who often threatened and seldom performed, that had a particle of efficient government. 4. Establish the unchanging habit of not commanding a child but once. 40 PHYSICAL EDUCATION OF LITTLE CHILDREN. Cost what it may, break the child down to obedience to the first command. And when this is once done, if you are careful never to let disobedience escape punishment of some kind or other, and punishment that shall be effectual and triumphant, you will find it not difficult to maintain your absolute authority." PHYSICAL EDUCATION OF LITTLE CHILDREN. WE give the following extract a place in the Magazine from a conviction of importance. In the physical education of their little children, as to diet, most mothers, it is to be feared, pursue a course diametrically opposite to that prescribed by the writer of this journal. Before subjoining the extracts we would state that, a few years since, while on an infant school committee, we had opportunity to make our observations upon the different treatment of children, by their mothers, in the article of food. It was revolting to the feelings of humanity, as well as of common sense, at the time of their dinner to see their infant board loaded with confectionaries of all kinds, cakes and fruits and candies of every variety and in frightful abundance. The committee made several attempts to substitute, in their place, a bowl of simple bread and milk, but in vain. Mothers actually seemed to vie with each other, in furnishing their little darlings, dressed like butterflies, with the greatest variety of dainties. Had Dr. Brigham and others, in their severe animadversions upon the early precocity of children, by means of infant school instruction, examined further into the causes of the evils reprobated, and levelled some of their heavy artillery against the practice of gorging children and infants with such unsuitable regimen, we believe they would have found that the evils referred to, originated, partially at least, in improper diet and over-heated rooms, instead of being solely the effect of infant school instruction. For the Mother's Magazine. EXTRACT FROM A MOTHER'S JOURNAL. Our little daughter S. W. N., was born January 5th, 1832, at which time we solemnly dedicated her to God, and at the age of three months we did it publicly, recognising as parents the following obligations. Having received her from the hand of our Maker only as a lent blessing, we endeavored to realize our responsibility to bring her up for Christ, promising to pray for and with her daily; to instruct her in the doctrines of Christ; to teach her that she is a sinner; constantly to seek for her the influences of the Holy Spirit to renew and sanctify her heart; and to consider her not as our own, but the Lord's property; in all our instructions, to keep distinctly in view the important end of qualifying her for a useful life, and for glorifying God, which is the chief end of man. PHYSICAL EDUCATION OF LITTLE CHILDREN. 41 -In the management of this child, we have endeavored, though in much weakness, to bear in mind the foregoing obligations, and to feel that she is given us in trust, that we might bring her up for the Lord. Knowing the intimate connexion between the body and the soul, and being sensible that the animal feelings have a direct influence upon the heart, we felt the necessity of directing our efforts towards her physical, as well as moral and intellectual education. From her earliest infancy, therefore, we paid particular attention to her diet and regimen. Her food has consisted chiefly of milk, and bread and milk. For the first eighteen months, she scarcely tasted flesh; and since that time, she has had it very seldom. All kinds of rich food have generally been denied her, and her only drink has been cold water or milk-either of these satisfies her; and if offered tea or coffee, she will not drink it; thus showing that the appetite for stimulating drinks is not natural, but acquired. We have had an opportunity of testing the influence which this course will have upon the disposition of a child. Although we have already abundant evidence of the existence of native depravity in the heart; yet, we believe, from the experiment we have made, that, by avoiding exciting causes, the development of latent depravity, may, in a great measure, be prevented. From the most careful observation, we are satisfied that her temper is seldom if ever ruffled, except when under the influence of uncomfortable bodily feelings; and we are persuaded also, that these uncomfortable feelings in children more frequently arise from the improper quality or excessive quantity of their food, than from any other cause. With these views, we have endeavored, so far as practicable, to confine her to regular and stated meals; and not to indulge her in the propensity which most children manifest, to be constantly eating; nor to permit her to eat all kinds of food indiscriminately. And we think we have reaped a rich reward in the general sweetness and cheerfulness of her temper and disposition. We have noticed, also, that, when, through inattention, she has been permitted to eat improper food, or to eat it excessively, it has had a perceptible influence upon her temper, rendering her peevish and fretful. And when, from any cause, she feels uncomfortable, we find her temper more obstinate, and more easily irritated. Indeed, most of the correction which we have been under the necessity of administering, has been while she was under the influence of such feelings; from which we draw the conclusion that, when a child is sick, or in any way uncomfortable in body, the utmost care should be taken to avoid all causes of irritation. We have also to record the happiest influence of the course we have pursued, in relation to diet, &c. upon her general health. She has never had any sickness except from teething and colds; and these have been less severe than is common with full fed children. Her appearance is far from indicating any want of nourishment. She is the very picture of health and although of a full habit she is sprightly and active. This course has also afforded us an early opportunity of moral discipline. At a very early period, she was brought to the table in her mother's arms; but, as she was not indulged with any food from the table, she never expected it; and after she began to be fed, not being allowed to take any thing except what was placed before her, she was 42 PHYSICAL EDUCATION OF LITTLE CHILDREN. satisfied with her portion. But, we have paid dearly, when on any particular occasions, we have given her articles of food not proper for a child, and which she is not in the habit of receiving-the next time we denied them to her, we could not make her understand why she might not as well have them at one time as well as on another. When first brought to the table, she would lay hold of the dishes, and every thing within her reach; but at the age of six or seven months, we undertook to correct her by frowns and marks of disapprobation. In this we succeeded beyond our anticipations. In a short time she was so completely broken of the habit, that the most enticing articles of furniture might be placed within her reach, and she would gaze upon them with exclamations of admiration, and yet not presume to touch them. About this time, we administered the first correction. We had never been in the habit of giving her things for which she cried. On this occasion, she was permitted to take a time piece in her hand for amusement; but another child being present, and wishing for it, it was taken from her, and given to him. She appeared angry at this, and set up a loud cry, with convulsive struggles in her father's arms, manifesting great obstinacy of temper. No efforts were made to pacify her she was frowned upon, and presently laid in the cradle, where she was suffered to lie apparently neglected. After giving vent to her temper in furious cries for some time, she at length ceased crying, and appeared subdued. For a long time after this, she would permit things to be taken from her without complaining; and since that time, she has very seldom cried when either her father or mother has taken things from her, or denied her things which she wished to have; and her mother has made it her practice frequently to deny her things which she might innocently have, when she was in a particular happy mood, for the sake of teaching her practical lessons of submission and self-denial. This has been attended with the happiest effects, in teaching her to subdue her feelings, and submit her own will to that of her parents. Before she was quite a year old, we began to correct her for crying. This has been a severe but wholesome discipline. It has taught her a command over her feelings, which we trust may be of great service to her in subsequent life. Now, when she is grieved or displeased, unless she is in a bad humor from bodily suffering, she will suppress the disposition to cry, ofter with a very perceptible struggle and effort. But, even when she is unwell, and bursts into a loud cry, we generally correct her, until she suppresses it. Our efforts should be directed towards producing a correct state of moral feeling in the heart of the child; and patience under suffering is one of the brightest traits of Christian experience, and most needful in the walks of real life. And, although we may not expect by such measures to produce holy emotions of heart, until it is regenerated by divine grace, yet we may form a habit, which will render the practice of this virtue easy and pleasant. In this discipline, we sometimes used the rod; but more frequently shut her in a room alone, till she became quiet; and when her temper is subdued, she will come to the door and knock; and when either of us opens the door, she will rush into our arms, clasp hers around our neck, and embrace us, in the most affectionate manner; and this she uniformly does when subdued by correction, manifesting greater affection than before. We have had to chastise PARENTAL FAITHFULNESS REWARDED. 43 her more frequently for disobedience than for any thing else; and have no doubt this is the grand point upon which the enemy of souls concentrates his efforts with children. If we were to give way at all, and neglect to enforce obedience with a uniform and even hand, we can very readily see that we should soon lose all parental authority. Hence, we never fail to correct her till she is subdued, when she refuses obedience; and this, in some instances, we have been obliged to repeat several times in the course of a single day; but now, when she has become convinced that she cannot have her own will, she seldom refuses prompt obedience. (To be Continued.) For the Mother's Magazine. PARENTAL FAITHFULNESS REWARDED. ABOUT eighteen hundred years ago, the angelic observers of Divine Providence might have beheld at Lystra in Lyconia, a little group often gathered around the unrolled parchments of the Holy Scriptures. A lad, scarce weaned from his mother's arms, is leaning upon her knee, and as he spells out the holy word, turns from time to time, to look up into her face, and hear the explanations which renders it intelligible. With earnest affection she regards her child, and strives to find words and illustrations adapted to his infant mind. Nor is she alone in her happy, though anxious duty. Seated by her side is that faithful parent, by whom her infancy had been hallowed unto God. Age has softened but not dimmed the lustre of her eye, and time has but deepened upon her brow the impress of benevolence, as she beholds her maternal care renewed in her pious daughter and her gentle boy. She too watches the progress of the lesson, and shares the mother's task. The little one reads of Abel's sacrificed lamb, and the rescued Isaac, when God provided his own burnt offering, and then pauses, to hear of Him the promised, who comes to find the ransom for Abraham's seed. Again, he reads of Salem's former splendor, now the prey of the Gentile spoiler, but he reads also of the virgin-born, the IMMANUEL, who comes the Shiloh from among the descendants of Judah, to rebuild her ruins and bid her dust arise, when God, who dwelt between the cherubim, shall again dwell among his people, and "the throne of David be established forever." The lesson ended, the lispings of the child, the rich voice of woman, and the tremulous accents of age, blend together in one of the songs of Zion. For awhile, they dwell in plaintive strain upon the fallen glories and the moral decay of the chosen nation; and now they, swell into lofty praise, as they anticipate the coming triumph; "Awake, awake, put on thy strength, oh! Zion. Put on thy beautiful garments, Oh! Jerusalem, thou Holy city, for henceforth there shall no more come unto thee the uncircumcised, and unclean." Nor is the pious duty ended. Together they kneel looking toward the Holy temple, and the child responds to the mother's prayer. The shadows |
