THE BIETH FROM ABOVE 193 



of earth and boundless recesses of heaven; then 

 leave these instructions to ripen in his susceptible 

 and impressionable being, and fear not for the 

 results.' " (Brooklyn Eagle.) 



This view of the relation of the child to God 

 seems to have been older than Christianity. The 

 practices of the Jews would indicate that they 

 held their children to be members of the holy 

 nation, and that their religious rights should be 

 strictly observed. Dr. Charles S. Eobinson gives 

 the following account of the care of Jewish chil- 

 dren: "Counsels without number are given with 

 reference to all the younger members of the fam- 

 ily. They were to be solemnly dedicated under 

 a prescribed ordinance. They were to be trained 

 in all the matters of the ceremonial law. Histor- 

 ical and commemorative festivals were to be ex- 

 plained to their understanding, so as to be fixed 

 in their intelligent recollection. They were not 

 allowed to come under the contaminating influ- 

 ences which nurses of a different religion might 

 possibly exert. As soon as they could speak they 

 were taught to repeat sentences from the Scrip- 

 tures. In the schools the law of Moses formed 

 one of their common text-books. A sort of degree 

 was to be taken at thirteen years old, and they 

 received thereafter the name 'Sons of the Com- 

 mandment.' And the settled rule in the Jewish 

 nation was that as soon as they were able to walk 

 up Mt. Moriah by holding on to their father's 

 hands, they were to go up to Jerusalem to keep 



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