Education in the Home by Mrs. L. D. Avery-Stuttle

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · May 17, 1905

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 31, No. 20.

Education in the Home

By Mrs. L. D. Avery-Stuttle

EDUCATION IN THE HOME. No. 1.

BY MRS. L. D. AVERY-STUTTLE.

NESTLING among the hills, amid a thrifty orchard of apples and peaches and plums, just outside the little village of D——, lived Brother and Sister Hartman and their family. An old-fashioned home, you would pronounce it at once, even before you noticed the quaint well with its lofty sweep, and the broad veranda, over which climbed a wild grape-vine. Yes, it was an old-fashioned home, and old-fashioned people lived in it, from dear old grandma, with her neat, white-lace cap, to little Beth, with her sweet baby face. All the members of the household were very old-fashioned.

Now, do not imagine for a moment that they wore ridiculous clothes, or that the children were ignorant and ill-mannered, or the house shabbily furnished and unpleasant,—nothing of the kind.

I'll tell you why I call them old-fashioned: It is because they believe in an old-fashioned Book. They believe in it all,—from cover to cover,—many wise men, and much "higher criticism" to the contrary, notwithstanding.

The children are taught to revere it, and to follow its wonderful teachings. Every day a portion of this much-beloved Book is read, and fervent prayer ascends to the great Author, for grace to understand and obey His sacred Guide-book.

One day Brother and Sister Hartman had an earnest conversation together. The children were growing up: Elsie was almost sixteen; John was fourteen; Mattie was twelve; and little Beth was seven. It seemed to them that something especial must be done to instill into the hearts of their children a love for the truths that they themselves believed and held precious. To be sure, they had always taught the children to believe in the Bible, and they were all members of the little Sabbath-school, yet the parents were not satisfied.

"I'll tell you, mother," began Brother Hartman, "I'd like to send the children to church-school, and I know you would,—but that's impossible, with none nearer than fifty miles."

"That's so, father; but they must not miss a good education, they must go to school somewhere. But I do believe we can counteract, in a great degree, the evil they may learn there, if we teach them the reasons for our faith and hope right here at home. Of course, you and I could never teach them grammar and arithmetic, they can learn that at the village school, and they must,—for neither you nor I had many advantages when we were young."

"That's so, mother; but while we may be a little shabby in grammar and physiology, we need not feel so bad about that; but there is no excuse for us to be ignorant concerning the great truths which we love, or to neglect to teach them to our children."

"Yes, and we must not depend wholly on what the Sabbath-school teacher can do one hour each week. How can our children love that which they know nothing about?"

"I have felt for some time that we were not giving even the attention to the Sabbath-school lesson that we ought to. What do you say to having a Bible study with the children at least twice every week?"

"Why, I think it a grand plan; and we will see what the children will say about it to-night, when they come home from school."

At last 4 o'clock came, and the old house again resounded with childish voices.

"O mother!" began Elsie, "The teacher said to-day that only a part of the Bible was inspired, and—"

"Yes," interrupted John, "and she didn't take the trouble to tell a fellow which part was all right and which wasn't."

"She said it was foolishness to believe the story about Jonah and the whale," said Mattie.

"Yes," added Elsie, "and she teaches the class in geology that the world wasn't made in six days, at all,—that it took many millions of years—and, O mother! she doesn't believe the Bible account of the creation of Adam and Eve."

"Well, children," said grandma, "I suppose you don't belong to the class in geology, do you?"

"O, no, grandma, I just happened to hear it while the class was reciting."

"How would you like the idea, my children," said their mother, "of having a little Bible class two or three evenings in every week? Your father and I have been talking it over, and, if you all agree, we will choose our subject, and begin Friday evening. You shall all 'take turns' in answering the questions, and reading the verses, if you want to, and we will see how interesting we can make it, and how much we can learn."

"O, that would be lovely!" said Elsie. "I would like it ever so much, wouldn't you, John?"

"Yes, only sometimes some of the boys come in to see me, and then what could we do?"

"Why, invite them to join our society," said grandma.

"O, O!" cried Beth, delightedly, "If grandma's going to help us, we're just sure of having such a good time."

And so it was decided that the next Friday evening the home studies were to begin.