Parental Desire, Duty, & Encouragement 3

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2. INSTRUCTION is the next branch of religious education. It would be quite needless to combat the absurdity of those who would have children left altogether untaught in religious opinion, until they arrive at years of mature judgment to choose for themselves their own creed. If religion were nothing but speculation—if the mind were inaccessible to sin and Satan until adult age—if the character could grow up lovely in the sight of God independently of the very means which he has established for this end—if a system of education, in which religion is totally neglected, be more likely to engage their attention to it hereafter, than one, where it is held up as an object of supreme importance—only then could we admit the idea that no pains should be taken to teach them the principles of religion. Such a sentiment may do very well for those who hold that the child is innocent and indifferent to error; but not for those who believe that good conduct can be expected only from right principles.

I shall consider,

1. The MATTER of instruction. And this must be the doctrines and the duties of Scriptural revelation. Many think that only the preceptive part of Scripture should be taught to children—as if the morality of the Bible were in its own nature, or could be taught to us, totally independent of its doctrines. The foundation of all the precepts of the New Testament is laid in its great fundamental doctrinal truths. The morality of the Christian religion is not of that flimsy kind which many imagine—it is not merely action; but action springing from good principles, flowing in a right direction, and tending to a proper end. To teach a child Christian morals, and leave him ignorant of every truth which identifies its nature, by distinguishing it from every other system, is a deplorable manner of training him up, "in the fear, and nurture, and admonition of the Lord."

You are bound by the sacred authority of God's word, to instruct your children in the knowledge of the divine character, as an omnipresent, omniscient, holy, just, wise, powerful, gracious being, the true God, and God of truth—in the character, the work, and the love of Christ—in the degenerate state of the human heart, with the necessity of an entire renovation of the mind, by the influence of the divine Spirit—in the way of acceptance with God, through faith in the great Mediator—in their accountability to God, as the judge of human conduct; and a future state of happiness and woe.

Let not your minds be diverted from an attention to this important duty, by supposing that such points are entirely beyond the capacity of children; for, in addition to the observation that they understand more than we are aware of, I may remark, that it is entirely a mistake to imagine, that in order to derive benefit from a doctrine revealed to our faith, it is necessary that we should comprehend that doctrine in its full extent. Who can grasp the thought of omnipresence, as an attribute of Jehovah? and yet, who may not derive the most extensive benefit from a belief of this unfathomable idea? And the same observation might be made with respect to many other important truths of revelation, the existence of which is all that is the object of faith--while the mode of that existence is left for the discoveries of eternity to unfold.

But while I enjoin an attention to the foundation, I would be equally solicitous in calling your notice to the superstructure. Assiduously inculcate upon your offspring every moral, relative and every social duty. Teach them that holiness is necessary both to our felicity on earth and in heaven; and that it includes everything we owe to God as creatures and as sinners—everything we owe to man, in all the different relationships by which we are connected with the human race.

2. The MANNER of religious instruction should also be regarded with attention. This of course, should be as much adapted to the capacity of the child as is possible. The historical parts of Scripture may be employed by every judicious parent, as a medium of conveying instruction to the youthful mind. Children are generally more attached to these parts of God's Word than to any other; and as they contain so many instances in which the anger and the grace of God are displayed, they should be pointed out as exemplifying the divine attributes and displaying in striking colors the degenerate state of the human heart.

And when the characters of Scripture are set before us on one page, acting under the dreadful power of sin; and on the next, converted by the grace of God; they afford an opportunity of explaining what man is by nature--and what he must be by grace. In the conduct of eminent believers, and especially in the actions of our blessed Redeemer, are examples to which we might direct their attention for a view of Christian virtues. And by teaching them to observe the workings of their own minds, how much of the deceitfulness and wickedness of the human heart, might they be brought to discover.

Catechizing, by the experience of all ages, has been proved to be an excellent method of communicating religious knowledge—and what advantages do you possess in the incomparable productions of the children's spiritual friend, Dr. Watts! I should also advise you, not merely to allure your offspring to read the Word of God—which certainly ought to be most assiduously done—but also to learn to memorize select and impressive portions of Scripture. You thus give them a Bible in their minds, which they may find of essential service to them, long after they have lost that which you committed into their hands. To enliven the task, one of Dr. Watts's hymns should be occasionally taught; but, for the most important of all reasons, because it is the Word of God, I would have their memory chiefly stored with Scripture.

Instruction should not be confined merely to stated seasons, as in other branches of education; but it ought to occupy a considerable share of the common conversation of the parent. I greatly fear that there are multitudes of Christian parents who never open their lips to their children on the subject of religion, except on a Sabbath-day evening. This grand and important topic, all the rest of the week, is "lost in silence and forgotten." And is not this training them up to follow to perdition the millions who have plunged into remediless ruin, by the mistake, that godliness is only a Sunday's concern; a thing to be put on and off with the Sunday dress?

Observe, I entreat you, the method which Infinite Wisdom has prescribed for this interesting duty, "You shall teach these words diligently unto your children, and you shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up." The occurrences of every day, of every hour, would present a proper occasion of instructive observation. Afflictions, and remarkable dispensations of mercy, which follow each other in our own, or in our neighbor's circumstances, in such rapid succession; the ravages of disease, the visits of death, which in this mortal state are scenes so frequently before our eyes; these and innumerable other events may, by a judicious, holy parent, be made the constant preachers of religion—and when it is thus taught, it is represented as an every day's concern.

Still, I do not mean to say, that for a work so important and necessary as that which I am now enforcing, there should be no stated seasons. Among various other gracious and wise purposes for which the Sabbath was instituted, one is, that we might have more than ordinary time, to attend to the religious instruction of our families. And O how many things combine to render this a season peculiarly suitable.

Then, when entirely detached from worldly concerns—when the parent's own mind is devoutly impressed with the supreme excellence and importance of eternal things, by looking through the veil of ordinances into eternity itself—when he returns to the bosom of his family, with all the savor of true religion on his mind—when he has just been stimulated to parental duty, and animated with the sweet theme of parental encouragement—when the subjects of public discussion form a topic for private instruction—then let every father, every mother, not squander away the precious moments which occur between the public services of the day; nor trifle away the 'golden season' by frivolous, idle conversation; but, dividing their little charge between them, endeavor to lead their minds to God.

Here I must also seriously admonish you to attend to the 'spirit of instruction' as well as to the letter of instruction. In this particular, I must again express my fears that many parents are criminally neglectful. Instruction itself is but a means to an important end—that end is impression—serious, lasting, deep impression. Religion is a thing to be felt, as well as known. It is not merely an outward form, but an inward principle! But, alas! this is forgotten by multitudes, as it applies to themselves; and by multitudes more, as it applies to their children. One would be led to imagine, from a survey of their actions, either that their offspring were naturally incapable of feeling the power of true piety, or that it was no part of their duty, as parents, to endeavor that they should experience this influence.

The only faculty of their children's mind which many attempt to bring under the control of religion, is the memory. And with others, who rise one step above them, the highest object of their pursuit is to give them knowledge, without attending at all to its influence upon their heart and conscience. It is flattering, no doubt, to a parent's vanity, to hear a child astonish us by the strength of his memory, in repeating catechism and hymns; but what does it profit his immortal soul, if 'repetition' be all that he is taught? For my part, "I would rather hear him speak five words with his understanding, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue." It is with them, as with ourselves, "Though they understand all mysteries, and all knowledge, and have not love, they are nothing." To have a knowledge of the truths of Scripture, without an experience of their influence upon the heart, is only walking to the bottomless pit with the torch of truth in our right hand! If, then, you would come up to the scriptural standard of religious education, admonish them with earnest, affectionate, persevering entreaty, "To remember their Creator in the days of their youth."

I particularly recommend separate advice to each child alone. General addresses are frequently evaded by the very people to whom they are directed—we are apt to hide ourselves in a crowd; and are too much engaged in applying reproof to others, to remember how suitable it is to us—thus using their guilt as a broad, impenetrable shield, to ward off the arrows of conviction from ourselves. Take your children separately into your closet; and there, when they can find no shelter from reproof, no shield against conviction, no possibility of forgetting that they are the single objects of parental advice and affection; there pray with them and for them; there pour out to God the wishes of your heart on their behalf; there entreat them to cheer their parent's heart by choosing the God of their fathers as their portion and their friend. Oh! the moving, melting power of such admonition!

And, as you wish not to counteract all the efforts which you are using for the salvation of your children, do not teach them to think lightly of the work and character of their public instructors. Convince them that these are seeking, in public, what you are in private, their eternal happiness. Take them constantly to the house of God, and instruct them to listen with solemn attention to the exhortations which come from the pulpit. Never, never, in their hearing, indulge a criticizing, faultfinding spirit, or you will soon induce them to believe that they go to the house of God only as fault-catchers. "If you take a malignant pleasure in flinging your censures on your minister, and caviling at his discourses, you are scattering round your families the seeds of damnation, and are not to wonder when you see them gathering the fruits, by despising religion, and preferring a novel, or a play, to those sermons which you have taught them to revile."

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