which you train it." If, therefore, you would be a blessing to your child,
and avert those terrible judgments of God which rest upon parental
delinquency, begin now, while your infant is in the cradle, to sow the
seeds of life. Prune well the tender olive plants, and direct its evolving
life in the way God would have it go.

"Soon as the playful innocent can prove
A tear of pity or a smile of love,"

teach it to lisp the name of Jesus and to walk in His commandments. But
alas! how many Christian parents are recreant to this duty! How many
destroy their children by the over-indulgence of a misdirected love and
sympathy, and by procrastinating the period of home-education. Forgetful of
the power of first impressions, they wait until their children are
established in sin, and the seeds of evil are sown in their hearts.

This is the reason why so many reckless and wicked children come out of
Christian homes. Their parents permit their misdirected fondness to absorb
all their thoughts and apprehensions of danger and responsibility. Their
love for the body and mind of their children seems to repel all love for,
or interest in, their soul. The former they tenderly nurse, fondly caress,
and zealously direct. But the soul of the infant is unhonored, unloved and
uncared for. It is blighted in its first bursting of beauty. Oh, cruel and
unthinking parents! why will you thus abuse the loveliest and noblest part
of your child? Why make that babe of yours a mere plaything? If "out of the
mouths of babes and sucklings God has perfected praise," then why not train
them up to praise Him? "Take heed that ye despise not one of these little
ones, for I say unto you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the
face of my Father which is in heaven." Oh, you who are the nurse of infant
innocence, have you ever thought of the deep curse that will attend your
neglect of the babe which God has given you! Have you, pious mother, as you
pressed your child to your bosom, ever thought that it would one day be a
witness for or against you? Far better for thee and it that it were not
born and you never revered as mother, than that you should nourish it for
spiritual beggary here, and for the eternal burnings hereafter! Oh, look
upon that babe! It is the gift of God--given to thee, mother, to nurse for
Him. Look upon that cherished one! See its smile of confidence turned to
you! It is a frail and helpless bark on the tumultuous sea of life;