WORK AMONG THE YOUNG.

White Ribbon, Volume 22, Issue 259, 18 January 1917, Page 5

WORK AMONG THE YOUNG.

(A Paper by Mrs Duxfield.)

“For it is not the will of your Heavenly Father that one of these little ones should perish. These words were uttered by the Saviour of mankind. “Train up a child in the way that he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it,” said Solomon. If we fully appreciate this latter statement, made by the wisest man that ever lived, we will realise somewhat the very sacred duty that devolves upon each and all of us. On the walls of one of the foundling hospitals in London there is a painting of great value, representing the infant Moses after having been rescued from the waters of the Nile by Pharoah’s daughter, and being placed by her unconsciously in the arms of his own mother to nurse, accompanied with the pathetic demand, “Take this child and nurse it for me, and I will pay thee thy wages” ; and “So it seems to me,” says a writer, “that God is calling aloud to our people to wake up from their indifference and apathy, from their greed and selfishness, and give its first care to train up the children in the way they should go. The subject is one of great importance to the home, the school, the church, and the whole nation. Who can estimate the value of one child, and the great possibilities that lie within, for good or evil? If we save the child we save the nation. Hut if we neglect this sacred duty, ruin, moral and physical, will befall our nation. Do we, as W.C.T.U. women and mothers, appreciate and grasp the opportunities that come to us to train up our children, and those committed to our care, in the way they should go, and thus prepare them to meet and resist temptation which is certain to lie in their path sooner or later on every hand? Are we doing our duty in this respect? In connection with the W.C.T.U., we have many departments of work—somewhere about thirty—but none, in my humble opir » n, is more important than the children’s departments. Firstly, we hav' the Cradle Roll, where the mother promises to bring up her child to total abstinence and purity. She promises nothing for herself, but for her child, etc. Then Lorn the Cradle Roll the children are drafted into the Loyal Temperance

Legion, and it is to this latter auxiliary 1 wish to draw your special attention. Article n of the L.T.L. Constitution says: “Its object shall be the building up of character, the educating of the boys and girls in the principles of total abstinence and purity, and the training of them to become efficient workers along all Sines of reform.” Surely a worthy object! Not only have we the privilege of educating the children in the principles of total abstinence and purity, but opportunity is given in which we can train them to become efficient workers along all lines of reform. Article 111. says: “The officers shall be President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Librarian, and Pianiste. The officers shall be* chosen quarterly from the pledged members, and shall be under the supervision of the Superintendent (appointed by the W.C.T.U.) and assistants.” In other words, the children elect their own officers and conduet their n meetings on proper Parliamentary lines, thereby training them to become efficient leaders in after fife. After a Legion has been fully organised, the first three or four lessons should be given fremi the leaflet entitled “Parliamentary Rules for Boys and Girls,” the first essential being that the children must know how to conduct their own meetings along Parliamentary lines. The blackboard can be used, and in this way questions and answers memorised, taking, of course, about six questions at one time. Article V. says: “Each boy and girl must, upon entering the Legion, assent to the following rule: ‘I promise to be quiet and orderly and attentive to the instructions of our leader and to all the exercises of the meetings, and to be thoughtful about the great questions of temperance, purity and self-control.’” Even* boy or girl should be taught the seriousness of a promise, and then there will be no difficulty in having properh controlled meetings. The L.T.L. is entirely undenominational. Three outstanding features are (i) The teaching regarding alcohol and the liquor traffic, (’) teaching Parliamentary Law, (;>) singing. The latter is very important. All children love singing, and by this means the

meetings can be made very bright and attractive for every one. Make chorus singing a feature, tin* boys and girls sitting apart —girls on the right hand and boys on the left. A healthy rivalry may in this way be created, viz., girls will endeavour to learn the choruses (written on blackboard) more quickly and sing better than the boys, and vice versa. Meetings conducted on these lines will never be dull o r uninteresting. Now, with regard to the address or object lesson, which must be made the outstanding feature* of all mertings, and are usually given by the Superintendent or sympathetic friend. One need never In* at a loss for material to work from. The L.T.L. Dominion Superintendent can supply ai! books, from which excellent, simple addresses can be taken. The c hart, with manual, is also most useful. (See “Wh tc* Ribbon,” September, iqi6, pages 4 and 5.) Marching songs, recitation books, dialogues, and everything else necessary for a well equipped L.T.L. may be obtained from the Dominion Superintendent. Experience teaches tin* wisdom of commencing the L.T.L. session at, or immediately after Easter in the country, and from July till Christmas holidays in the towns. Hold meetings every week, and c lose at the end of six months with a good entertainment, when the* best items learned during the session may be given. An offering id should be taken up by the Treasurer at every meeting, and from this source and what is made from the entertainment enough will be* in hand to pay for hire of building, books, pledge-cards, etc. If there is a credit balance, the W.C.T.U. Organising Fund may be helped. After three montV instruction, have pledge-signing night, which should be made most impressive; parents and friends being invited for the occasion. It is good to have a competition dur ing the session. Grade the children, and get them to write an essay on some suitable topic connected with the work, or an especially interesting address which has been given. Endeavour to create such an interest that the children will take a pleasure and delight in working for the L.T.L. And now a word, dear sisters, to those who may be in charge of this God-given work. A leader must be firm, punctual, unselfish, tactful, enthusiastic; must love the children and her work If the Superintendent

puts plenty of life, vigour, enthusiasm and fire into her work it will be returned twofold by the children. If the reverse, then we shall find uninteresting, dull meetings. A great deal depends upon the leader. If one good leader cannot be found, then several can work together. I appeal to all White Ribboners to push the L.T.L. Department, realising that the boys and girls of to-day will be the men and women of tomorrow’. It will be from the ranks of the L.T.L. that we must look for future leaders. Let us each and all do our duty. The results we can leave to Him whose reward will be, ‘‘Well done, thou good and faithful servant. ”