The Perils of the Child

The Perils of the Child THE PERILS OF THE CHILD
James F. Cox

There comes a time in the live of every individual when his character may he said to he formed and his des­tiny to be practically fixed. It is said that few new habits are begun after twenty-five years of age and that fewer older ones are given up. It is no wonder then that Solo­mon said, (Proverbs 22:6) "Train a child up in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." The Wise Man has given us here a very fundamental truth from which we may get many valuable lessons. One very important corollary that we may deduce is; Failure to so train the child means that he may probably never get into the right way—the way he. should go. Also if a child is trained up in the wrong way, when he is old he may not depart from it. We dare not make this statement as strong as Solomon makes the affirmative statement, for many do change from lives of idolatry, sin and wickedness after they become mature. To argue that they could not so change would be to fly into the face of known facts to the contrary, and it would also mean that we acknowledge that the influences of evil are as powerful in the life of the human being as are the influences of the good. No one except an atheist. a fatalist or a pessimist can believe this last statement. To so believe means that the individual does not believe that there is a super-human power to assist us in the fight for the higher and better things of life, it means that the individual believes that he is entirely a creature of circumstance, and lastly, it means that the in­dividual believes that there is more bad than good in the world and that the spiritual and moral nature of the indi­vidual will finally lie overcome by human lusts and passions. But this is no philosophic discussion, however we felt that in the very beginning of this lecture it should be clearly set forth that for one to believe Solomon's state­ment just as it is made does not mean that he is a fatalist. This text does not teach that one's destiny is finally and eternally fixed during his formative period and by the time he is mature. It does mean, however, that if one is im­properly trained during the immature period the chances of his getting into the right way are greatly lessened. It does mean that God's great drawing power for the good life, the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, has a much less chance to bring that individual back to God. It does mean that we who believe the Bible—that Jehovah is God, that Jesus of Nazareth is his Son, that there is a future life, a heaven to gain and a hell to shun—should be more cog­nizant of the dangers and perils that lurk in the pathway of the growing child. We should know that Solomon told the truth and if we really want our children to be Chris­tians and to live for God and the righteous life in this world we must train them up in his way.

Tn Proverbs 23:7 the Wise Man says; "For as he think- eth in his heart so is he". Again he says; (Proverbs 4:23) "Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life." The Savior said: (Luke 6:45) "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good: and an evil man out of the evil treas­ure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh". It is not necessary here to call attention to the many other scriptures that prove in our relationship to God the heart is the important thing—that the heart is the part of the human being that God looketh on, that he pondereth and is interested in. Neither is it necessary here to argue that in the Bible the heart means the mind and that it includes the intellect, the emotions and the will. With these facts before us let us now turn our at­tention to the matter of the beginning of the growth of the human mind. The philosopher, John Locke, tells us that when an individual is born into the world his mind is a blank, that it is like a white sheet of paper upon which impressions may be made. Without attempting here to discuss the question as to the relative power of heredity and environment in determining the character of the in­dividual we must all agree that the blank mind spoken of by Locke means the inborn capabilities and tendencies of the individual. It also may mean the talents which God has entrusted to the individual and which he is to use.

Whether Locke's conception of the mind at birth is true or false need not be settled now. For our purpose it is only necessary for us to agree that when one comes into the world his destiny is not wholly determined and fixed, that he has a flexible impressionable mind, capable of being played upon by outside forces. The nervous system is the great avenue thru which impressions are made upon the human mind. Deprived of all of the five or six senses it is doubtful if the mind at birth could ever grow and develop, yea, so far as we know it is impossible for the mind to grow except thru the medium of the senses. In the early years of one's life the mind is practically if not wholly passive. Impressions are made upon it by outside and environmental forces very much like one makes impressions upon paper thru the medium of the pencil. As the paper is passive so is the mind practically passive. Just at what time it ceases to be passive and the power of inhibition arises has never been determined. In fact there is no definite time. The power to inhibit and modify incoming impressions grows up gradually. The nature and extent of this inhibition is determined largely by the mental content.

Along with the power of inhibition goes another God- given power—that of choice, and choice presupposes another God-given power, that of reason. When the individual begins to take his mental content and to work it over, to rearrange it, to compare portions of it, to classify it, to relate it, to infer and to form general notions; we say he is beginning to think for himself. He is using his mental stock-in-trade and so in this way he begins to reason.

Having learned that the human mind is developed first thru impressions made upon it from without itself and thru the special senses, and second thru the God-given power, reason, we are now ready to examine the agencies that contribute to that development. Of all the agencies contributing to the mental develop­ment of the child there is none other so important as the home. Here the first impressions are made upon that very impressionable thing called mind. At this time, too, the mind has little if any resisting powers and the parents and others in the home play upon it practically at will. It sees, hears, feels, tastes and smells just such things as the parents wish for it to. It is here that the eternal future of the child is practically determined. How many, many clangers and perils have we here for the growing child! Those family quarrels in which there is displayed before the child and indelibly impressed upon his young mind those out bursts of temper, ugliness of spirit and improper and unfair relationships of those who are his models. If such never occurred how different the child would be! Then there are the pictures or the lack of pictures in the home to educate and to train or to distort the child mind. One ugly vile picture kept before the child until he is six or seven years old may mar his entire life, while good pictures will, of course, have, just the opposite effect. Similarly the flowers and shrubbery and other things of nature about the home make lasting and telling impressions upon the child's mind. Probably of more importance than all of these we have mentioned in the home life of the child are his playmates. From these he learns more than from his parents because he can understand them better. He is more apt to imitate them, too, because their actions are of such a nature that he can imitate them. From playmates children so often learn to lie, to cheat, to steal and to prac­tice many other immoral things. If the playmates are well chosen all these perils may be avoided. Too many times mothers and fathers entrust their children to negro or other nurses with the result that the child's mind is poisoned and warped for all time by the ugly stories and immoral practices of these ignorant and sometimes indifferent peo­ple. This home life period of the child is very important— so important for his future life in the school, in the church, and in the State that we can't afford as Christian parents to leave it to nurses, servants nor to mere chance. There should be thoughtful, prayerful, deliberative, systematic, persistent training of the child in the home. That is what Solomon meant when he said, "Train a child up in the way he should go." This is not only the great educational agency and therefore fraught with many perils, but it is the one that is under the complete control of the parents. It is during this period and before the child comes to the opening of the way, before he begins to choose for himself that the parents need to lay the foundation for that future series of instructions that must be given when the child arrives at the age of accountability—or comes to reason and choose for himself.

Let us now turn our attention to that other great edu­cational agency—the school. In modern times this insti­tution has greatly increased in importance as a factor in human development. So many functions of the home have been delegated to the school. So important has the school become as a factor in the development of the child mind that it is no uncommon thing for very young children, even first and second graders, to accept their teachers and text books as models and guides instead of their parents. If there should be conflict of authority and opinion the teacher or the text is accepted by the child as authority rather than the parent. This is especially true in those homes where parents have been negligent of their duties and responsi­bilities relative to proper home training.

We do not mean to say here that, when a child enters school that his home training ceases. It should not, in fact, the vigilant, interested parent will never allow the school influence to outweigh the home influence. This is possible only when the parents concern themselves about the kind of school they patronize. They should study the school, its text books, course of study, teachers, and general physical conditions. If they find in the text books of the school theories and statements contrary to truth, if they find that the teacher's life and teaching is inconsistent with righteousness and genuine morality, and if they find that the general school environment, social and physical, is inferior and degrading; they should speak out in no uncertain terms against these tilings in an effort to bring about reform. Thru home teaching they will bring to bear a counter influence that will meet and thwart these dangers.

We have described the ideal condition, the proper attitude of the parents toward the schools to which they send their children. Unfortunately not even ten percent of the parents ever know of the perils and dangers that lie in waiting for the child in school. Few of them ever carefully examine the books their children study and so often they know little or nothing of those teachers who become the living models for their children. Fewer still of the parents are aware of the dangers their children may be subjected to in their social and physical environ­ment at school. The result of this ignorance and indif­ference of parents concerning the school's influence in the life of their children is almost sure to be bitter dis­appointment. Instead of them becoming the men and women they had hoped and prayed they would become they are probably the opposite. Sometimes they wonder why, but not a few times they may be heard to say; "If my boy had never gone to that teacher, if he had never read that book, or if he had never associated with those boys how different he would have been!" it is almost too late now, the thots are somewhat mature, the habits of life are already formed and the character is nearly made. No, parents, you can do little to change the course of even your own offspring's life after they are mature. Don't allow the minds of your children to be filled with secular literature to the neglect of the Bible. Never al­low any teacher to have a greater influence in the fives of your children than you have, unless you know that that teacher has higher and better ideals of life. Choose wisely the physical and social environment of your chil­dren during this impressionable period. You should know your children's playmates and especially those who are their chums and bosom friends. Simply do not allow them to have chums who have habits and characteristics which you do not want your children to have. We must acknowledge tho, that the most vigilant and the most interested parents are not able to steer their children clear of all the perils and dangers of school life.

There is another great educational agency, the church. Every Bible reader knows that the church is God's insti­tution on earth to spread the Gospel and thru it to bring His creatures back to Him. Every member of his church should be a teacher of this wonderful Gospel, and especially are parents urged "To bring their children up in the nur­ture and admonition of the Lord". It is not too much to expect all Christian parents to be so anxious for their children to become Christians that they will use every means and exert every effort to plant the word of God, the seed of the Kingdom in their young and tender hearts. They will teach them God's word at home and will carry them to all the meetings of the church to receive whatever instruction there that is suited to their age and advance­ment. Much of the work of teaching the Bible to chil­dren must necessarily be done by others than the parents. There will be public teachers and preachers at the church, and so it is necessary for the parents to go with their children to church and to know the teachers who instruct them in the Bible classes and to hear the same sermons of the preachers and the same exhortations and admonitions of the elders that their children hear so that perils and dangers may be guarded against.

There is no longer any doubt about modern sermon­izing failing to reach and teach children. It was probably never intended for the preacher or the public teacher to reach children, hence the necessity for the command, "Bring your children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." Many parents are not doing this, partly because of a lack of time or a lack of ability, but more because it is the general tendency of this time to delegate certain of the home training to specialists called teachers. The modern Sunday School or Bible School is but a way or method—an effort if you please of parents to meet the obligations to train their children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. The pity of it is that many parents believe that they have performed their duty toward their children in this respect when they send them to a Bible Sunday School, not knowing nor little caring in some instances, about the perils that lurk in this way. Of all the sorry teaching that may be found in this world the sorriest may be found in the modern Sunday School. The following reasons may be given for this statement: a. Poorly prepared and poorly trained teachers, b. The short time devoted to actual teaching, c. The long time intervening between lessons, d. General lack of proper class rooms and equipment, e. A general lack of serious­ness of purpose. There are other reasons that could be given, but these are sufficient. It is not our purpose to wholly condemn the modern Bible Sunday School. A little study of the Bible on Sunday even under the bad conditions mentioned above is better than none at all. It can supple­ment the home training, but how necessary it becomes for parents to personally interest themselves in this work that the perils mentioned above may be avoided. But with the very best Bible Sunday Schools that we can have and with all the home training the average parent is able to give, the child will, in many instances, still fail to get the Biblical training he should have. And here is where the greatest danger lies. So many good people firmly believe that if they can get their children to go to church on Sunday that they will get interested and become Christians.

Others just as good believe if they can get their children to go to Bible school on Sunday and to preaching that is almost a guarantee that they will sooner or later become Christians. Each of these groups will more than likely do some home teaching of the Bible, but not very much. There is another group of parents who believe that their children should not only go to hear sermons and exhortations and go to Bible Sunday Schools, but they believe that they should also go to a Bible School where they will be required to study the Bible every day in the week. There is little difference in the quality or amount of home Bible instruction given by these three groups. If there is a difference it is in favor of the second and third groups. Doesn't it make a tremendous difference to which group the child's parents belong? And seriously, now, in which group would a child be less apt to become a Christian. Children must know Jesus Christ before they can love him, they must know the Bible be­fore they can believe it or defend it, and they must have the seed of the Kingdom (the Word) planted in their hearts before they can become Christians. If we as parents, depend altogether upon the preacher or the Bible Sunday School teacher to do all of these things for the children we are subjecting them to great peril by our neglect. These are good and the two of them is better than only one, but the weekly Bible teaching and the home training must also be used. How necessary it is for Christian parents to dedicate and consecrate their children to the Lord, nurse, teach, and discipline them as God's children whom he has entrusted to their care and seize every oppor­tunity to interest them or have them interested in the way of righteousness. Your child is not going to become a Christian either accidentally or miraculously. There are plenty of evil influences to take him away from God and Christ, and if you want him to be what you are. a Christian, you will have to be on the alert all the time. He will have to get God's word into his heart and he can only get it there by reading for himself or by hearing some one else read it. In addition to these three great educational agencies, the home, the school and the church that contribute so much to the mental, moral, physical and spiritual growth of the child, there are a number of minor agencies that are also determining factors in the lives of children. Of these we will mention a few. 1. Secular Literature, (con­sisting of popular and scientific magazines, popular novels and newspapers), has much to do with the education of children. Here there are perils because there is as much bad as good in them and many times children read litera­ture that their parents know nothing about. In a measure parents can control this agency but not altogether. No books, papers nor other literature should be allowed to come into a Christian home that parents are not familiar with and know to be safe for their children. When in doubt they should consult some one who knows and in whom they have confidence. 2. Another agency is religious literature. Every home should have Bibles, at least one good religious paper and Bible story books, but great care should be exercised in selecting these last. A child's re­ligious training may be greatly helped or greatly hindered thru this agency. 3. Public lecturers, political speakers, entertainers, etc. make up another rather important educa­tional agency. Many times a public speech will set one to thinking along a line that may determine the remainder of his entire life. It is wrong to leave this important mat­ter wholly to chance. 4. Of all the minor agencies there is none more important than pictures and moving picture shows. Impressions made in this way often determine the character of the individual. Notwithstanding this fact, many parents allow their children to go to see pictures that are absolutely and positively bad.

It is only necessary to mention a number of other agencies that have great influence in the life of a child. These are: the stage, the circus, clubs, parties, socials, work and play. All these things that educate the child, change him from the infant to the adult, have many perils that can be avoided and many others that cannot. The result is that many parents are bitterly disappointed when their children mature and do not become Christian men and women. When the anxious interested parent seriously contem­plates the many perils that lurk in the pathway of the child he is almost appalled and dumbfounded and he wonders what can be done to lessen the dangers. There is something that can be done if the parents are willing to pay the price. The U. S. Government learned during the World war that her citizens had been and were being subjected to many great perils calculated to make them treasonable to their country. Many whom we supposed were loyal, pa­triotic Americans were not only not patriotic, but on the other hand were enemies to the United States. This was a surprise, but the cause was not far to seek. A survey of the situation soon revealed the fact that many people were at work to undermine the very principles of free government and to thwart its purposes. Much treasonable teaching was abroad in the land. It was found, too, that the average citizen knew little of the workings of his gov­ernment and that Uncle Sam was doing little to reveal his real self to the growing children of this land. It was found that there was no organized, systematic determined effort to teach Americanism in this country. The proper step was to-right-about-face in the matter, and that is what the U. S. has done. There is now a conscious, determined effort all over this country thru our excellent public schools to teach and fix in the hearts of children the principles and ideals of American citizenship. This is now a matter of first consideration, for our statesmen know that if we are to have a crop of Americans we must plant the seeds of Americanism in the hearts of the people. We have here an excellent government, probably the best in the world, it is good to its citizens and it seems incredible that there should be those who have lived here all of their lives and yet are treasonable to Uncle Sam. Yet it is true, and why? Too much bad teaching and not enough teaching of the right sort is the only answer to this. Conditions discovered in this country during the World War opened our eyes to the need of training our children up in the principles of Americanism if we really want them to be good, loyal American citizens. From the medical profession the church may learn a very important lesson. Recently leading thinkers in this field have come to see that their greatest usefulness lies in preventing disease rather than in curing it. The up- to-date modern physician fights disease by destroying its breeding and thriving places. He attempts to build up the human body so that it will be able to resist and throw off disease. The human body, we know, is subjected to many perils, dangers and disease germs. We vaccinate against some of these, we avoid places where there is danger of getting the germs of some of them, and now we are learn­ing that it is a necessary precaution to build up a strong body to fight diseases that may attack us unexpectedly, and where we have used the greatest care. When we come to think of the many dangers and perils seen and unseen, known and unknown that threaten the human being as he develops from babyhood to maturity we are made to shudder. So many times we hear sorrow­ing parents say, "Yes, I had rather my children wouldn't do so and so, but then you know they must sow their wild oats. They will reform when they are older." They might as well say we had just as well let our children go on and have typhoid fever, tuberculosis, small pox, measles, etc., and get thru with them for they have got to have them anyway. Some ignorant, thoughtless, careless people do talk that way about physical diseases, but others of us have learned that children don't have to have these dis­eases, and why can't we learn that children don't have to sow their wild oats. Just as having these diseases is sure to greatly weaken and possibly destroy the physical life, so will sowing the wild oats greatly weaken and possibly destroy the moral and spiritual life. Why not use pre­ventive measures relative to the disease of sin and wick­edness just as we do in physical realm? Why not follow the advice of the apostle "to bring our children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." and of Solomon "Train our children up in the way they should go or the way we want them to go"?

If we believe that Christianity is the right way, is the spiritually healthy way to live, then let us as parents persistently and continually train our children in that way. Let us not deceive ourselves into believing that our children will accidentally or miraculously become Christians after they have sown their wild oats. What we need to do is to begin as early as possible to sow the seeds of Christianity in the minds of our children, then keep everlastingly at it. Prevent them from having bad habits by leading and directing them in the good ways. If Christianity is true and, we believe it is, then it is worth more than every thing else in the world. Parents who really believe this should early consecrate and dedicate their children to the Lord, then so instruct them and so shape their environment that thru God's help they will become Christians. In this modern age with our complicated twen­tieth century civilization there is no other way to guard the child against the perils ahead of him than this constant, per­sistent, prayerful, careful teaching of God's word to him. It is the only safe guarantee against sin and wickedness, just as vaccination is the only safe guard against small pox. Then let us train the child up in the way we, as parents, want him to go, believing confidently that when he is old, or is mature, he will not depart from it.