s to a greater one. Habit has been likened to
a spider's web, which at first can be easily broken, but after continued
indulgence binds its victim as with a strong cable, making reformation
almost impossible. The same is true of good and right conduct. At first it
may require an effort to perform a certain right act, but after repetition
it is accomplished naturally and without thought. Therefore be vigilant in
training your child to right action, and carefully avoid everything that
would lead to evil acts or feelings. To tease a child is to develop an
angry disposition. Some fathers think it quite laughable to hear the
little two-year-old say to its mamma, "I won't do it," but he shall
afterward pay dearly for his sport.

Parents think it "cute" to see their little one shake its little fist at
papa and mamma. Through such education the day will probably come when he
will shake his fist at you so that it will strike like a hammer on your
heart. We have heard many parents laughing at their little children saying
"smart things," little conscious of what these things are leading to.

"Train up a child in the way he should go," comprehends much more than
many have understood. Just recently we heard a little child being taught
to say, "Peter, Peter, pumpkin eater," etc. Such teaching is horrifying to
Christian hearts. It is better to train your child to make reply in the
polite, "Yes, sir" and "No, sir," or, "Yes, ma'am," and "No, ma'am,"
instead of that coarse, impolite "umgh," "humgh," which is no language.
Remember the first step to child training is to set the example before
them in your own life. Frequently we find parents endeavoring to teach
their children to say, "Please" and "Yes, sir," when they in their own
speech neglect such politeness. Your efforts will prove fruitless.

Parents have been known to tease their little daughter and the daughter of
other parents about some little boy companion, and their little son about
some girl companion. Such is very shameful and harmful. It fills the minds
of their children with impure thought. Keep your own language very modest
and pure and the language of your children the same. Keep their thought
pure. Impure language and impure thought leads to impure and injurious
habits.

Be familiar with your child and talk to him about his secret life. Teach
him of the awful evils in the secret lives of many children and how impure
words and thoughts lead to such injurious vice. Pare