Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 June 1876 — Have Faith in Your Children. [ARTICLE]

Have Faith in Your Children.

A lady once told me of a little scene which occurred during her childhood, and, though years of change had come and gone since then, it had left such an impression on her mind that she could never entirely banish it from memory. She was quite a child when it happened, and her mother, a good Christian woman, was yet one of those strict, stern parents who demand and expect, perhaps, too much from their children, forgetting how hard it is, even for us grown children, tried in the rough discipline of life, to submit to our Heavenly Father’s will and yield jnstant and perfect obedience to His laws. But this child was gentle and yielding always. I well remember her mild, amiable manners and sweet disposition when we were children together—ever giving up her own will to that of her parents. Above all, she was perfectly truthful ; never had her lips framed a falsehood, or uttered one deceitful word; she had never tried to screen herself when at fault, or to escape the punishment of her childish errors. And her mother knew this—knew that her child had never spoken aught to her but the plain, honest truth. There came a day at school when it was found that some grievous act of disobedience had willfully been committed by one of the pupils, and, in some strange way, it was traced to this little girl. The teacher accused her, she denied the charge, but the proof seemed strong against her, and the teacher even accompanied her home, carrying the accusation to her mother. It seems an unnatural thing for a parent to do, yet she accepted the teacher’s statement in preference to that of her own child, who had never deceived her, and tried by every means in her power to make the little one confess the fault. “ Mother, mother, I did not do it; won’t you believe me?” was all the reply she could obtain. For a long time she sat by the child, pointing out to her the horror of falsehood, and beseeching her to confess that she had committed the error and ask forgiveness. The child’s spirit became at last so affected, and her whole little being wrought up to such a state, that she actually confessed herself guilty, and asked forgiveness for a wrong she had never committed I From that moment a feeling of reserve grew up between the mother and child, and, though years have come and gone, and the child is grown up to womanhood, she still remembers that dreadful day; not, however, with any undue blame to her mother, “for,” she said, “ I know she thought she was doing right.” Oh, what a feeling cf forlorn wretchedness must come over a little innocent child when it sees its mother looking with suspicions eyes upon it, and refusing to believe its expressions of innocence! Oh, mothers! let your children see that you have faith in them; that you can trust them whether near or far away, and it will be to them a cheering thought that will doubly endear to them the" sacred name of mother—checking them in temptation’s hour, and leading their sonls to lofty purposes and noble aspirations. A mother’s love and trusting belief—what a safeguard it has been to many a boy fighting his way in the world! It has helped him to conquer many an enemy, ana brightened many an hoar of struggle and sadness to know that a loving, praying mother has faith in her absent boy. A mother’s trust has kept many a daughter’s feet from straying, and bound their hearts together in affectionate sympathy and confidence until death alone has broken the tie, and then was left the sweet influence pf a devoted life, as a guiding star. Mothers, h&ve faith in your children! Sarah Kcablct Hunt, in Phrenological Journal.