Education of Children._

Respecting the birth of the various vehicles and the influence which that
has upon life, we may say that during the time from birth to the seventh
year the lines of growth of the physical body are determined, and as it
has been noted that sound is builder both in the great and small, we may
well imagine that rhythm must have an enormous influence upon the growing
and sensitive little child's organism. The apostle John in the first
chapter of his gospel expresses this idea mystically in the beautiful
words: "In the beginning was the WORD ... and without it was not anything
made that was made ... and the word became flesh;" the word is a rhythmic
sound, which issued from the Creator, reverberated through the universe
and marshaled countless millions of atoms into the multiplex variety of
shapes and forms which we see about us. The mountain, the mayflower, the
mouse and the man are all embodiments of that great Cosmic Word which is
still sounding through the universe and which is still building and ever
building though unheard by our insensitive ears. But though we do not hear
that wonderful celestial sound, we may work upon the little child's body
by terrestrial music, and though the nursery rhymes are without sense,
they are nevertheless bearers of a wonderful rhythm, and the more a child
is taught to say, sing and repeat them, to dance and to march to them, the
more music is incorporated into a child's daily life, the stronger and
healthier will be its body in future years.

There are two mottoes which apply during this period, one to the child and
the other to the parent: _Example_ and _Imitation_. No creature under
heaven is more imitative than a little child, and its conduct in after
years will depend largely upon the example set by its parents during its
early life. It is no use to tell the child "not to mind," it has no mind
wherewith to discriminate, but follows its natural tendency, as water
flows down a hill, when it imitates. Therefore it behooves every parent to
remember from morning till night that watchful eyes are upon him all the
time waiting but for him to act in order to follow his example.

It is of the utmost importance that the child's clothing should be very
loose, particularly the clothing of little boys, as chafing garments often
produce vices which follow a man through life.

If anyone should attempt to forcibly extract a babe from the protecting
womb of its mother, the