Pg. 295

¶ 1 Leave a comment on paragraph 1 0 295] THE SPOILED CHILD. 7

¶ 2 Leave a comment on paragraph 2 1 it were, in his hand: he has the training of the rising generation, the hope of our country and of the church of God! What an important, what a responsible office! Yet, how often, and how much is it despised! and it is miserably ill paid moreover, and still worse treated! When the schoolmaster would bring the wayward spirits of our spoiled children under a wholesome discipline, both parents are, in too many instances, in arms against him. And their ill-timed and foolish pity fails not to sustain the boy in open and darling rebellion against his teacher, and in the repetition of fresh crimes. This parental interference, by paralyzing the arm of salutary discipline, has helped to consummate the ruin of many a hapless youth!”

¶ 3 Leave a comment on paragraph 3 3 “This has been a fatal error,” said the almost heartbroken wife; “ but this is not all: frivolous excuses, I remember to my sorrow, would be sustained by us, for neglecting his evening tasks; the slightest indisposition, and (I am mortified to think how easily we were deceived) that, too, very often pretended, and our excessive anxiety about the “dear child’s” health, would be reason enough for allowing him to absent himself whole days from school. And then, from our foolish fondness, he would gain permission from us to rove about from house to house, and, what was worse, to absent himself whole nights from his parental roof. It is thus that a young mind acquires, at too early an age, a taste for company: its inexperience lays it open to cruel temptations, while it is too young to derive, without a parent or a teacher’s guidance, any real benefit from it. This early taste, or I should rather say, this passion for company, together with a plentiful supply of money from indulgent parents, has laid the foundation of utter ruin to many thousands and tens of thousands of youth. And I know it to my sorrow, dear Pastor, that in the young and inexperienced mind, where we are not busy in sowing the good seed of God’s word, the evil one is very busy and successful in sowing tares.”

¶ 4 Leave a comment on paragraph 4 1 “How easy it is to see errors,” said the father, “when the bandage of our delusions is thus torn from our eyes. Ah! Sir, experience is the mother of wisdom. One of our principal errors was that of allowing our child to associate with vicious boys, until they had so entwined themselves