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A Mirror of the Soul

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Dec 8, 1904

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 81, No. 49.

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A Mirror of the Soul

By A. W. Spaulding

The voice is a mirror of the soul. The gruff voice bespeaks a crabbed heart; the shrill voice a frivolous or passionate mind; the gentle, well-controlled voice a perfect soul. It is the voice, more than anything else, that gains or loses favors which its owner covets; it is the voice that wins or rebuffs souls to whom we seek to give the truth. We are measured and judged as rightly by our voices as by our faces or our deeds. And the forming of the voice is under the control of the father and mother. It is the earliest work in language teaching which the parent can do.
The voice is formed upon the model furnished in the home. The babe hears the soft crooning of his mother's lullaby, he hears the happy laughter of his older brothers and sisters, he hears the pleasant conversation of all the family. Does he hear, also, sharp tones of command, gruff words of discontent and recrimination?All are noted, all are making their imprint upon his impressionable brain. Words, looks, even the silent gloom of anger or the voiceless beams of good cheer, are responded to in the delicate fabric of his nervous structure. Even in babyhood the effect is made evident: how many “blue Mondays” have not brought mutterings or shrieks from the little creeper?
Love is the first requisite in the teaching of language,—love not only toward the little learner (who does not have that—sometimes), but love for and overflowing toward every one in the family and out,—love unselfish, unconquerable; love that surcharges the atmosphere with radiant cheer, and banishes hatred and gloom. A babe in such an atmosphere is in the most perfect school of voice culture; he is taking lessons in pure quality, clear articulation, sympathetic expression. Through love he is gaining what is of the first importance and of the greatest necessity as the basis of language culture.
It seems almost as if everything were said when this has been said: if love reigned everywhere and always, within the world of the child, his voice would be perfect. But this happy state is so far from being realized by any of us, and such errors creep in unknown, that further thought is necessary.
Love is not always soft of speech; love is sometimes stern; but it is never “cross;” love has no voice of high-pitched, passionate tone. Therefore the child will not learn the voice of anger. Love is not always placid; love is sometimes tumultuous; but love is never riotous. And the child in the home of love will learn to speak with clear tones and temperate words. Love is not bold; but love is demonstrative, and it is not love's way to hide itself behind fear and silence. Therefore the child will learn the charm of frankness and ready address toward those whom he knows. We shall not thus make of our children stereotyped copies one of another, but we shall avoid some common errors of character, which, later in life, show in husky, crabbed, high-pitched, or guttural voices, that are mirrors of the soul.
Song should be a natural language in every home, used at the worship hour, at the evening gathering, and during the work hours. If the child everywhere hears it, he will catch the spirit and the art. Song is both the expression and the inducer of joy. There lived once a carpenter apprentice, a mere boy, who toiled all day with men and boys rude and toil-bowed. And when the day's burdens fell most heavily, and sodden faces frowned, and lips muttered murmurs, his clear voice would ring out in songs of cheer and hope, which refreshed and heartened his companions. The example of Jesus may be followed by every child. Teach the children simple songs. Let them, even as babes, join their voices with yours in family worship, though they may not preserve the harmony nor improve the music. Accept it, not with smiles and glances that hush the baby voice, but as a due part of the worship. The great High Priest above receives as sweetest myrrh the praises of baby lips, though offered with a dim comprehension; and the censers of the attendant priests swing forth their fragrance when prouder melody is never known.
Fear need not be had of voice-strain in children, when only simple songs, suited in range to their voices, are taught, and when there is not the unnatural condition of competition, as sometimes occurs in Sabbath-schools and children's choruses. There is no exercise of the child's voice better fitted to give power and flexibility than free-hearted, joyous singing.
In the family worship, the father and mother should, by their example, teach the children to speak clearly and expressively. The Scripture should be read, to the best of the ability of the reader, in a voice that expresses understanding of and sympathy with what it says. There must be no mumbling nor skipping, as though one were ashamed of reading, but clear tones, and manner suited to the sacredness of the Book. In the prayers, the thought should be evident in the words; no straining after high-sounding phrases, no jumbling of sentences as if there were no pauses. Every word should be so spoken as to be distinctly heard by all who are taking part. Let not the face be covered with the hands or the chair-back, so that all the words are lost; but let us speak to our Heavenly Father as if he were a present friend, honored and loved. Then the children will also learn so to pray. The training of the voice will not have its effect alone at the altar and in the chamber; and its influence is not less upon the mind than upon the voice.
It may be observed in passing, that children will take much greater interest in the prayer service, and will respond with greater alacrity and more proper spirit, if the older ones will reflect that their very “short prayers” are very long ones to kneeling children, and learn to model them after the Lord's prayer, not only in nature of petition, but in brevity of form.
Let us say, then, in conclusion (though we have but touched upon the great subject of voice culture in the home), that the father and the mother have it in their power, through the simple exercise of a loving and a reverent spirit, so to preserve and train the voices of their children that the grave faults of harshness, shrillness, gutteralness, monotony, and weakness of voice will never be contracted; and that these voices may ever be heard in the power, the sweetness, and the winning qualities which are the evidence of a Christlike spirit. A. W. SPAULDING.