Little heathen?'

Back to Man's religion & God's religion 3

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(from Philpot's biography, written by his son)

There was nothing my father mistrusted more
than 'childhood piety.' He insisted that children
should never be taught or allowed to use the 
language of 'personal possession' in reference
to God. To sing, for instance, "Rock of Ages,
cleft for ME" or, "MY Jesus".

Herein he was most logical. For by early influence 
and example you can train up a child to be . . .
a little patriot,
a little Catholic,
a little Calvinist, or 
a little Bolshevist. 

But no power on earth can make him a child of God.

He took great care that we, his children, attended 
the means of grace, and never missed chapel or 
family prayers. But he never expected us to be 
anything but little heathen. We had, it is true, 
to be well behaved little heathen. If not, we got 
"the stick", or its equivalent.

"Who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the
flesh, nor of the will of man—but of God." John 1:13