The Bulletin. 35 



LECTURES DELIVERED. 



THE MORAL TRAINING OF OUR CHILDREN. 



By Mrs. Emelib McGilvart Orr. 



"We hear a great deal about physical health on the farm, and how to attain 

 it ; but I often wonder whether we pay as much attention to the moral health 

 of our children. 



One would think that the problems of child-rearing, in the country, would 

 almost solve themselves; and that, surrounded, as country children are, by 

 the beauties of nature, and removed from the supposed contaminations of 

 city and town conditions, they would know nothing but obedience, truthful- 

 ness, and purity. 



When I speak of obedience, truthfulness, and purity, I do so because, with 

 the fear of God, they are the foundations of character. To try to form a 

 character with any one of these left out is like building a house with one of 

 the corners unsupported. A child may be taught obedience and purity, but 

 if he is not truthful he will not make a good man. Or, he may be pure and 

 truthful, but if not obedient, he will not make a good man. 



In how few homes are the children taught absolute, unquestioning, cheerful 

 obedience ! Mothers and fathers are to blame for this ; yet they blame their 

 children. I am aware that these requirements are old-fashioned ; but I am 

 willing to submit this question to any impartial observer. Does the product 

 justify modern methods? Whenever you see a family where the parents con- 

 sider these requisites as out of date, there you find the children falling short 

 of the ideal. This is the trouble, now, with our so-called civilization: we have 

 lawlessness on all sides, because as children our citizens were not taught 

 absolute obedience. Obedience is not obedience if given grudgingly, poutingly, 

 reluctantly. Parents give commands, and then do not see that they are 

 obeyed ; and if disobeyed, the punishment may or may not be administered, 

 according to the feelings of the parent at the time. How often do we see a 

 parent punishing a child for a certain offense — not according to the demerits 

 of the case, but because he is angry, or she is "nervous" ; whereas, at another 

 time, that same act would have been ignored. Some parents have said to 

 me, "Well, if I did not punish my child when I was 'mad,' I never would do 

 it." Sad commentary, that, on the .iustice of the parent and the object of 

 his discipline ! A child's sense of justice is keen, often far more so than the 

 adult's, and he can see whether you are punishing him for his good or to 

 relieve your own feelings. 



How often, too, one sees either father or mother thinking the other too strict, 

 and so expressing himself before the children ! In too many cases the pun- 

 ishments are administered by one, only, of the parents ; the other even openly 

 expressing disapproval, or, by silence, possibly, taking the child's part! But 

 the child knows it. "A house divided against itself cannot stand," and full 

 measure of success cannot be expected without cooperation and unity between 

 parents. 



A great mistake made is in postponing the time of commencing the train- 

 ing and discipline. Some say let the child alone until about two years of 

 age. Others, most disastrously, wait even longer. I believe one should com- 

 mence at once. A babe of three days has commenced to learn one of two 

 lessons — either that, by crying, he can obtain his own way, say to be taken 

 out of bed, or that he gains nothing by crying for what he wants. The wise 

 and loving ear soon distinguishes between the cry of hunger or pain and that 

 of willfulness or temper. If you are uncertain, try the^ babe. If, on being 

 taken up. it ceases its crying, then renews it when replaced in bed, you may 

 be sure there was nothing but temper or willfulness. I knew a young couple 

 who. on the fourth night after their first babe arrived, were distressed, believ- 



