21 4r Missouri AgricuUnral Report. 



comes real, and parents begin to learn to live in reality, only when the 

 children come. 



We speak of training our children, but they train us first, teaching 

 many a sacred lesson, rousing up many a slumbering gift and possibility, 

 calling out many a hidden grace and disciplining our wayward powers 

 into noble and harmonious character. 



Some writer has said that the children are apostles sent forth to 

 preach of love, of hope, of peace. Dreary, indeed, would our homes be, 

 without them. True, we sometimes weary of their noise ; they bring 

 care, solicitude, and toil. Sleepless nights we spend in watching over 

 them, and last, but not least, do they almost break our hearts many 

 times by their waywardness. 



Some there are who see no pleasure in them, but regard them as 

 responsibilities which they dread, and do not care to assume. This, to 

 me, is sheer selfishness, for instead of being hindrances to noble living, 

 they are great helps. They bring blessings from heaven when they 

 come, and as long as they stay, they are true benedictions. 



How shall we train them? It is impossilile to overestimate the im- 

 portance of this question. In the language of the poet : 



"It is no little thing 



When a fresh soul 



And a fresh heart, with their unmeasured scope 



For good, not gravitating earthward yet. 



But circling into diviner periods, 



Are sent into this world." 



We realize as parents, as mothers, that upon us the responsibility 

 of these young lives chiefly rests. We are the home huilders and we 

 put into the home our character, of whatever sort it is. In many homes 

 fathers seem to forget that they have any share in the burden and duty 

 of ho7ne life. But this is wrong. While God has placed the tender 

 plant nearest the mother-heart, yet the father must know that he has 

 more to do in making and training the child, than simply supplying 

 necessary food and clothing. How sweet is the home where mother and 

 father are one in thought and in spirit, where their hearts beat as one, 

 where the welfare of the children lies equally heavy upon each heart. 

 Socrates wondered how men could be so careful to train well the colt, 

 but were so indifferent to the training of the child. And in this 

 Christian age is it still true that men, who profess to follow Christ and 

 to believe life superior to all else, give infinitely more thought and pains 



