SUMMARY 209 



vegetable destiny decreed for it; what the star 

 does unconsciously when, unhasting and unrest- 

 ing, it beamingly runs the road laid down for it." 



To grasp control of the will of the child was 

 one of Susannah Wesley's earliest tasks, "be- 

 cause," she continues, "this is the only strong 

 and rational foundation of a religious education, 

 without which both precept and example will be 

 ineffectual. But when this is thoroughly done, 

 then a child is capable of being governed by the 

 reason and piety of its parents, till its own under- 

 standing comes to maturity and the principles of 

 religion have taken root in the mind. " (Stevens : 

 ' ' Hist, of Methodism, ' ' I, 55. ) This subjection of 

 the will of the child is often criticised as if it 

 were breaking the will of the child. It is no more 

 breaking the will than is the staking up of a vine 

 the breaking of the vine. It is rather giving di- 

 rection to the will, governing it in harmony with 

 the laws of its own nature, so that when it comes 

 to its own independent expression it will not 

 break against the unyielding forces of nature and 

 society about it. 



It is only necessary further to remark that 

 these two laws, imitation and authority, which are 

 to be used by parents, may also be used by others. 

 So that there is a negative or defensive duty 

 which we owe the child. We must keep him from 

 those sights and those directing and suggesting 

 influences which are evil and will produce the evil 



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