A Word on Family Instruction.
By Jos. Clarke
“AND thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children; and thou shalt talk of them, when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way; and when thou liest down and when thou risest up.” Deut. 6:7; 11:19. One would suppose from the practice of most professors of religion, that the command ran thus: Thou shalt leave all religious instruction for the Sabbath-school teacher who must be responsible for his pupils, while parents are free to go on with their affairs solely during the week, but on the Sabbath they must be particular to have their children attend the Sabbath-school; and that here their duty ends when they see the lesson prepared and the child present. There is a manifest error on the part of most parents on this vital point—the education of the young. The public funds and educational privileges, exonerate them in a great degree, from the onerous task of the secular education of their offspring; schools in every locality offer advantages for improvement, and parents lean too much even here upon public institutions, and teachers feel sadly the want of interest on the part of parents in the public schools, which exists to such a degree in many instances that the children lose their interest in educational matters. The same principle is plainly manifest in the Sabbath-school; and S. S. teachers lament over the indifference of parents in the work of enlightening the young upon spiritual things; an apathy rests upon the public mind here, as in the department before alluded to, and it has a discouraging effect upon Sabbath-schools. Could parents follow out the command in Deut. 6:7, the Sabbath-school would be tenfold more interesting and profitable. But as it is at present, the Sabbath-school is crippled in its influence upon the young, and parents are not generally aware of the cause of the difficulty. They look for the fruits of the teacher’s labor, and neglect their own duty. The facts are these: The burden of the labor for the young rests upon parents, not upon teachers; and unless parents feel this, they will generally injure the good impression made by the teacher. One or the other of the parents, or both, should daily instruct their children in holy things. Children daily brought under an influence of this kind will bring encouragement to the teacher’s heart; and the parent so laboring, will find the Sabbath-school profitable to his children. There is no duty spoken of in the Bible, more imperative than this, in Deut. 6:7; and none more pleasant and delightful, when well performed. None are exempt from this duty. The parent who professes to know God, makes a great profession; and if he cannot teach his children the way to God, whom he professes to love, he belies his profession. It is idle to talk of disability (I address professing Christians). If the parent can read he can teach his child to read, and understand the book he loves. If he cannot read, he can teach his children the principles and facts of the glorious book of God; the willing and loving heart will and can make itself understood and felt. Parents love their offspring. Let them act accordingly. Let parents bring to mind daily the Judgment day now present, and the rewards and penalties of the future. Let them daily realize their responsibility for the dear children whom God has graciously given them, and seek to God for help in training their little ones for God. If they have neglected this duty, let them bitterly bewail the loss, and speedily buckle on the armor to regain the battle. But how shall I go to work? says some fond parent, who longs to see his family accompany him in his travels to the city of God. Let me say that the writer of this does not feel competent to dictate or prescribe the exact mode. Circumstances differ; but the quotation at the head of this article is as specific as any one could wish. No amount of business can hinder the parent from obeying this command: “In the house, by the way, when thou liest down and when thou risest up.” The parent can talk out what he knows and feels on other matters. Let him do the same here, with zeal and constancy. Let him read and meditate with this great and noble object in view—the enlightenment of his children. Begin, make the attempt. Ideas will flow in and you be surprised at what you can do. Thought begets thought, and you will be infinitely repaid and blest. If I may be permitted to give my own plan for systematic instruction, I would say. Have a daily lesson for your children apart from family worship, exclusively for this object. Have your family devotions before you breakfast, and your lesson for your children immediately after breakfast; say some portion of that book which will most interest at the time, gradually leading them from narrative to principles and doctrines; always drawing out their knowledge, rather than displaying your own; never pouring in lectures, but rather say what will interest them to have you say more; and never tire or disgust them. Answer their questions so pleasantly and patiently that they will desire to ask of you again; and when they ask questions you cannot answer at the time, be sure to do it satisfactorily if you have to take time and research. When your children find that you will take precious time to teach, and that you have a care for their spiritual interests which leads you to study and investigate for their improvement, they will see that you are in earnest, and that you mean what you say, when you talk of God and Heaven. Children are close, and generally earnest, reasoners, and they appreciate any special labor in their behalf more than older people do; and when parents do their duty at cost of time and labor (personally do this), children will appreciate the gift far more than if it is done by proxy. None are more discerning than children, in discovering that the parent shirks his duty by delegating it to others; and it is this shirking of personal duty, this delegating some fancied unpleasant duty to others, which is peculiarly the parent’s duty, which this article is intended to oppose. One of the greatest statesmen England ever produced, was educated at home, under the eye of a careful, judicious, competent instructor, who would not trust his only son to the temptations of a public school. But we would not recommend such a course in all respects, because that few parents are so well qualified as this parent was. But the principle we advocate is before you. If the writer has been too explicit for some, and too general for others, pardon his error. You cannot withhold your candid assent to the principles herein advocated. Now, dear reader, will you act? Will you begin now? Are you fearful that you have no ability, or have you no time? Think of eternity. Think of Heaven with its glories, and sometimes think of the penalties of neglected duty. JOS. CLARKE.