FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 127 



in home life. Time for reading, for rest, for amusement are as requisite 

 as for working and eating, and for ''getting on" in the world. 



To the kindergarten teaching of the science of motherhood, the» world 

 owes much that is helpful. From that comes the thought that parents 

 need to live tvith their children as well as for them. To live with the 

 child so that it feels the interest, sympathy and companionship of its 

 parent's loving heart is to learn one of the most profound secrets of child- 

 nurture. To look upon life and its incidents from a child's point of view, 

 rather than solely from the vantage ground of maturity, to be interested 

 in its joys and sorrows, to guide and counsel, to confide in it and to make 

 it a partner in all the concerns of the home is to enrich and strengthen 

 it for all time. Powerful, indeed, must he the temptation which can 

 draw the young from such companionship. 



The mother needs to believe in the value of a good education, for her 

 boys and girls. Preparation for life's work ca'^ '^-^t begin too early; 

 those who are thoroughly erjuipped are the win i the race. To be 



equal to the demands of our times, the boys and g s must have the best 

 education possible. If the mother lacks the conviction and earnestness 

 necessary to struggle and sacrifice to this end, who will plan that Jolin 

 and Mary have the chance? With the belief in education, the wise 

 mother will aim to train her family to respect their bodies and to observe 

 the laws which govern their well-being. Health, vigor and purity of 

 mind and body are the triune virtues she covets for them, 



A FAMILIARITY WITH THE WORLD'S BEST LITERATURE 



is one of the most helpful contributions a woman can bring to the pleas- 

 ure and success of the home. Nor is it impossible to the poorest or 

 lowliest in these days. Indeed, I count it one of the necessities of our 

 stirring modern life. Once acquire a love of reading the best books, and 

 make a beginning, with perseverance none need despair. The busiest 

 farm life furnishes some leisure hours and seasons for which a little 

 forethought can provide reading matter at a surprisingly small cost. 



A German sculptor spent eight years in making a statue of the Christ. 

 When he had wrought two years, he stood a little child before it. and 

 asked: ''Who is it?" The child said: "A great man," and the sculptor 

 knew he had not succeeded. He began all over, and when at last his 

 w^ork was complete, he again brought a little child to be critic, and said: 

 "Who is it?" And softly and with awe, the child looked up into his face 

 and answered: "Suffer little children to come unto me." Then the 

 artist knew that something of his ideal of the Divine had entered into the 

 lifeless marble. 



Thus I think that every woman needs to seek to place the Divine in her 

 home life. More than all else, she needs the joy, the comfort, the inspira- 

 tion, the staying power of the one Friend of all mothers — the personal 

 friendship of Him who never spoke an unkind or disheartening word to 

 any woman. With such companionship, she may work out wonderful 

 ideals in her own life and those of her children, till those beholding the 

 results shall exclaim : "Of such is the Kingdom of Heaven." 



