"CHILD TRAINING" AND "FAMILY RELIGION."

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 143, 18 June 1887, Page 2

"CHILD TRAINING" AND "FAMILY RELIGION."

An undenominational ■■' conference.:on.;rth( above siibjects took place last night in Hblj ! Tiinity, splibolrbbni, DevQnportj the Rev Joseph Bates presiding. • Between 50 and 6( persons were present,; amongst them being ' Bishop .TheproceedingshaV' ingbeenopened■vv'itHreligious exercises, ihi (Rev. Mr Bates explained that the:conference had been called by Mr,Gγßrown, who was greatly interested in the subject oi -family •:■ religion. , . (The i cognate subject of "Child Training "had been added, and Bishop Cowie was present for'the 'puripose of delivering an address upon it. The Rev. H. Bull ,had promised to open up the 'other subj'eefebjit hadrbeen prevented; by illnessrfromifulfilling the sduty. ; ■ :Timely notice was given of this, and Mr Browii th'e'ii asKed 5 the Rev. 41ex.' Reid to undeij take the duty, but he also had, been precluded bjr "illness. ' Pinally the Rev. T. G-. Garr hk& Consented to open the discussion on •'•* Religion," and was present for rthatf purpose;., (.Deuteronoiny, 4 'to; ily. were'Vread .as a kind of itext for the discussion. • -ob'o? asitiOir.'.tun<>} j . Bishop Cowie then delivered an address by way. of initiating a discussion upon "'Th'e v ßeligious.'Training of 'Young Children in the Home." ' He began by remarfcing upon the importance oi the subject, and then* went on to say, withj reference to the frequent s statement that, colonial children •were less deferential and towards their seniors'than childfen, at his own experience • had proved .that colonial children were quite as well behaved as thosja he; had v met in other parts oi the world. So' far as their religious 'training was concerned, it' could .hardly be , "commenced at' ijbo '.early, an age.' It was a strange anomaly 'that'while children were never considered too young to be regarded as inheriting the spiflt/of.evil, ";they. were looked .upoii as . insusceptible : i to holy - influences until ' they/had begun to grow; up. Ifc; -was J , "a' •• first' .essential to teach, them obediencej' and .in ,hprder : to, ;; dp;i this -ySnpcessfully. the parents .jiiustibft'.united..,,,lt ■was,fnotr.-riece9Sary

WbewereJwhen violent measures had to be resorted oo the chances were tfca* *J& fault lay with the administration. Parents too should impress the child's mind with. 2 o? guilt- C° nvent "X* should not bY established in ones family.. He had seen some parents punish their Sm\l broking • elate as for felling a her•_ Trivial faults should not.be treated with. rigour J evt to obedience was the inculcation oftruthfulness, ' re: was:'" mischievous thing to threaten children with punishments which are never intended. It encouraged unteuthfulness, and so did Sty 'Obedience and truthfulness formed the basis of the Christian character, and theywere best taught, at home-not at school. The teaching of moral and: Christian principles.was very much like the teaching 1 of languages-it was best instilled when tie pupil was quite young. The leaving of nature to herself W like the conduct of the; man w,ho ; left his property uncultivated because, he was unwilling to prejudice the soil _in favour of; flowers and strawberries to the detriment of weeds and briars. Great care should be taken in selecting'the passages ot Scripture to be read to children, and, above all, they should not be weuried. Salvation, ' should not be regarded' as merely pertain-' ing to the future life.' It was a state of ! spiritual health.. Canon .Knox's handbooks ion the Testaments and Dr. Geikies works for the young could bo recommended for use in training children. ~ , ' ■ , : Mr Brown endorsedthe Bishop's remarks ! upon .the importance of early training, : No one else evincing an inclination, to. speak, a hymn was sung, and the Rev. T. G, Carr then called upon for his address !upon "Family?Beligion." I Mr Carr commenced by paying a tribute to the Bishop for the excellence of his address. As for family i religion) it must centre.: in the heads; of ! families. They must themselves have the grace of God. Mr Carr went on to cite the instances of the enduring influence. of religious exercises in the family. He then recommended the reading ot the Scriptures topically, rather than at random, or diffusely verse by verse. The regular reading of the Scriptures was at the foundation of family religion. Prayer, too, was a very important element, and the members of the family circle should be encouraged to pray in rotation. ... ~., Mr Geo. Brown offered a few remarks, and then, oil the motion of Mr W. Hoyle Brown, a vote of thanks was passed to Bishop Covvio and the Rev. T. G. Carr. The' proceedings wore closed in the usual way. ~