lvation of others, and not be equally zealous for the souls of the
children whom God has given us?"

_Mr. C._ Our habits of seclusion and study may operate to make us
reserved, moody, and so repulsive, to our own children. We ought to be
interested in their every-day affairs, and watch for opportunities to
form their opinions, on moral as well as religious subjects, and be as
kind and assiduous to them, certainly, as we endeavor to be to other
children.

* * * * *

What more could these good men have said, with regard to the subject,
had they concluded to adopt the terms "member" and "membership," to
express the relation of children to the church? They were not conscious
of omitting or diminishing one privilege or blessing to which the
children of the church are entitled; everything which the most strenuous
advocates of "infant church-membership," so called, mention as accruing
to them, they claimed in their behalf. Did infant church-membership
admit to the Lord's Supper, as it did to the passover, the children
would now, with propriety, be said to be "members of the church." But,
inasmuch as, under the Christian dispensation, they cannot come to the
sacrament which distinguishes between the regenerate and the
unregenerate, without a change of heart, they, and all those who are
associated with the church in general acts of worship, and in Christian
privileges, but are not converted persons, are, alike, under the
Christian system, removed from outward membership--only, that the
children of the church have privileges and promises which go far to
increase the probability of their future church-membership, and directly
to prepare them for that sacred relation.

"THE CHILDREN OF THE CHURCH," then, is the sufficient name by which it
seems desirable that the children of believers should be designated.
And, instead of using the term "church-membership," applied to them, we
shall include everything which is properly theirs, we shall lose
nothing, we shall prevent great misunderstanding, and liability to
perversion, by substituting the "Relation of Baptized Children to the
Church," whenever we wish to express the peculiar and most precious
connection which they hold, in the arrangements of divine grace, with
the covenant people of God.

Chapter Tenth.

MATERNAL ASSOCIATIONS.

The mother, in her office, holds the key
Of the soul; and she it is who stamps the coin
Of character