A SERMON FOR PARENTS

Evening Star, Issue 20346, 30 November 1929, Page 21

A SERMON FOR PARENTS

(Address given by Ensign Neeve in the Dowling street citadel, Salvation Army.)

“ Train up a child in the way he should go.”—Proverbs XXII. 6.

One of the greatest problems confronting all grades of society is the future of the child. “ Are all the children in?” w*as the cry of a dying mother. Are all the children safe? is the thought of all true parents. The mother has a feeling of uncertainty as her child goes first to school, leaving the home for other surroundings, and sbo wonders what will bo the effect upon their young lives, also later when first the bov or girl has to face the battle of life in following up some form of employment. The dangers are very real. The perils awaiting the unguarded are very numerous. Perils of city life, perils of companionship, perils of unhelpful pleasures, perils of great temptations. The forces of evil attack all, and very often the least likely go down under their powerful influence. Who has the greatest responsibility? Without doubt the parents. An old adage says “ The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world,” and in a broad sens© that is true. The boy*’s hero is his father, and there he looks for an example; the girls to their mothers, and rightly so. What are our children to be? Some boys and girls are to be the drunkards, gamblers, and criminals of the future. Some bonny boy or girl will drift down to be a heartbreak to their parents. What are we doing to shield those who come under our care from being swallowed in the whirlpool of evil? Our homes are our greatest asset. Parents still have the greatest influence if they will rise up and do their duty. we shirking _ our spiritual responsibilities? Where is the family altar? Have we become too self-conscious or proud to pray with out children in the home? Have our homes lost their spiritual atmosphere? There are many professing Christians who shrink from speaking personally to their children about the love and power of Christ, and therefore show cowardice in this respect. Many homes have the words. “Christ is the Head of tins house, the unseen guest at every meal, the silent listener to every conversation ” hanging in their dining room, and yet very often unhelpful talk goes on, and Christ in many cases forgotten altogether. Eli, the High Priest of Old Testament history, failed to check the evil tendencies of his boys, with the result that not only did the boys lose their lives in battle, but the father and others suffered. Tennyson penned the words, “More things are wrought by praver than this world dreams of, and we" can never imagine the power of parents’ prayers and spiritual correction.” How true is the sentiment of the hymn

Happy the home where God is therGj And love fills every breast. Where one their wish, and one their prayer, And one their heavenly rest.

Let us as parents be guardian an"els, not onlv in name but in truth. ° Then parents have a great responsibility to the future generations. Many, according to medical testimony, are 'in our mental hospitals because someone blundered, and they are reapin'" what has been sown years before Remember, our actions will have a tremendous bearing upon the generations to come. Then what of the future life? Are we training our children for a better world? Are we remembering eternity? And, last of all, what of our stewardship? What a trust from God Himself! These young lives are lent to us, pure, innocent, and with their destiny largely in our hands. Mav wc look the Creator of all m the face and have the satisfaction of duty well done. And when we come, to the great parting may wc have no regrets. 'the faith of our forefathers has been well and truly guarded and upheld, our great standing as a nation owes much to the strong power ot spiritual home life ot the past. May we have grace and courage as parents ti do our duty in this respect, and remember “ Righteousness exalteth a nation.”