A PLEA FOR THE CHILDREN.
By H. C. MILLER
“BEHOLD I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: and he shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.” Mal. iv, 5, 6. We quote the above more as an introduction to the few thoughts we wish to advance for the consideration of those brethren who are parents, and who are troubled about the growing desire in the boys to be away from home so much of the time, amusing themselves in questionable company, than for the purpose of making any comments upon it. I have of late been asked by brethren as to how they should proceed in order to keep their children at home. They (the children), as they grow older, manifest a strong disposition to go out nights to parties, concerts, pleasure gatherings, &c., where they can have the company and pleasures so inviting and yet so dangerous to the young. What do you think? What is the best course to pursue? What ought I to do? is asked with moistened eye and quivering lip. I will throw out a few ideas on the subject that perhaps will not be out of place. I remember my youth, and that I address those older in years than myself. A desire to do good is my apology. Besides I have not got so far removed from boyhood as to have forgotten the desires incident to that period of life, or those longings that more or less find a place in the bosom of every boy; and therefore I may be better prepared to speak for the boys, if I can only have the Holy Spirit’s help. I would suggest, as the first and best means, (and it comprehends all the means to the one end,) for accomplishing the end sought, that home be made attractive to them. And this work must begin at the head. The father must become cheerful and kind, and be familiar with his family, and the mother unite with him in being thus. On account of hard labor, many cares, and bad diet, you have become gloomy, fretful, unsocial; in a word, dyspeptic. Such a thing as an innocent game with a laugh, or a kiss for their little ones has never entered your head lately, and you would blush and act awkwardly did you try it. They have longed for these things, and ye knew it not; and growing up without them, they have hailed with joy the chance to get out from under the dark cloud of your presence into the warm sunshine that is outside. But I need not enlarge upon this subject, as it is much better set forth in Spiritual Gifts, Vol. iv. Brethren, fathers, mothers, hear it! read it! It is the voice of the Elijah that is promised. Be social in your families. Study their wants more, their dispositions, their likes and dislikes, and as much as is right, and in you lieth, gratify them, and direct them. Many of you have been too eager to enlarge the farm, the capital, the business, and yet you have enough for your present necessities and to spare. Oh! then, enlarge not the work, the labor, the care, but enlarge the house, the home; make it pleasant, make it cheerful; stock it, fill it. Have any of them a gift for music? Encourage it, direct it, teach them to praise the Lord with all that is within them. Do not compel them to go to the town and hang about the dance hall, or the concert; or perhaps to seek that society which proved the ruin of Israel of old, that of the sinful around them in order to gratify this taste. Have they a love for the mechanical? Place a few tools at their disposal, with a room for a shop. We can speak of the power of such things. We remember the old granary with the few old tools bought at the auction, costing but little, yet serving to tie us to home with a cord too strong for Satan to snap or stretch. We remember the old loom which we worked over into other machines (?) not very labor-saving, yet wonderful to us. The influence of those things is with us today. We loved home on account of them. And the books, the books! How we all three, yes five, father, mother, brother and sister loved them. What joy when father brought a new one! How quickly we mounted his lap to see the pictures, while those older sat quietly by to hear. It was not given to us with the command, “There, now, go along by yourselves and be quiet.” All had an interest in it. It made happiness for many evenings. Brethren I see your houses too barren of these things. Leaving other things that might be mentioned, I want to talk about these books. Many have not the gift of story-telling. They may know all about David, and John, and Joseph, and Moses, and all the things they did, but not be able to relate it to their children. Facts of faith make up what is behind in you. Get them, gather the children about you in the morning for a half hour, after dinner, at night. Read to them out of these. Break the ice. Keep the little ones on your knee. Get their affections when small, and keep it as they grow older by growing with them. Then there are moral stories in Sabbath Readings. And when these are all gone others can be found to put in their place. Many among us are unable to buy for their families as many as they would need. But a church could all work together in this matter, and for the small sum of from six to thirty dollars, according to the number of the families, could get from fifty to two hundred volumes so, and enough to last each family a long time. And what an interest they create in the Sabbath School. From time to time others could be added by the private purchases of parents; or the children could be taught to save a fund by contributing their pennies to replenish it. I know some object that books cannot be got free from the popular errors. But I think this need work no harm if parents will look into them, and point out the false from the true, and teach the children to exercise their judgment upon what they read. I might enlarge upon this subject, but I forbear. But to those who raise the above objection, I ask, Will the books harm more than the idle hand, or the lounging in the streets? Will they do as much injury as to let the minds grow up with no direction for good, or thirst for knowledge? Let there be action in this direction. Surely the men of this generation are wiser in these things, many of them, than we who profess light.