Beginning Early With the Children by Mrs. L. E. Carr

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Aug 26, 1915

Beginning Early With the Children

By Mrs. L. E. Carr

MRS. L. E. CARR

As the years go by, I am more and more impressed with the necessity of beginning early in the training of children. Whatever is taught them while young, will generally stay by them. It is a great mistake to suppose that a child must be several years old before it understands what is said to it, and can be taught right principles. Years ago I talked with old Father Bates on this subject, and asked him how much he thought a child ought to understand when a year old. I have never forgotten his reply: “You may make up your mind that it understands about three times as much as you give it credit for.”

The first lessons the children should learn are those of obedience and self-control. As they grow and develop, they should be taught self-denial and thoughtfulness of others, and these principles will become part of their lives. Read them the story of Jesus,—how thoughtful he was of his mother’s feelings, and his gentleness and kindness in dealing with others. Impress on their minds the thought that he loves them, and wishes them to be saved in his kingdom. This will cultivate in their hearts the spirit of helpfulness, and a desire to be like Jesus, and these early impressions will mold their characters through life. As they grow older, and learn how he went about doing good, they will desire to follow him in this also. The missionary spirit, to be developed in afterlife, must be carefully nourished while the children

are young, innocent, and impressionable.

We live in a time when it takes study and time and earnest prayer to train the children in the right way. Satan stands ready to divert our minds, to get our attention fixed on other things, to suggest that they are too young and too innocent to understand much that goes on around them, or to know right from wrong.

“As the twig is bent, the tree’s inclined.” If we have a tree that is naturally crooked,—provided we prize it at all,—we do not allow it to grow that way for several years, and then try to straighten it out all at once. No; we begin while it is young and tender, bending it gently and constantly in the right way. So must we do with our children. If we wait, their characters will be formed, bad habits will have a hold upon them, and the tree that might have stood forever in the garden of the Lord will be fit for nothing but to be cut down and burned up.

This straightening, bending, strengthening process is delicate work, and mothers need wisdom from above to know how to do it. Our children are all born under the curse of sin; but if they are properly taught and trained in their early years, they may become a blessing to their fellow men on this earth, and share the joys of the redeemed in the earth made new.