Childrens’ Column

Te Aroha News, Volume XXII, Issue 42791, 14 October 1905, Page 2

Childrens’ Column

[Written expressly for this paper.] A WORD TO FATHEKS. How often are men heard to say: I leave the training of my children entirely to my wife,” or “ I never interfere with the discipline of my home, my wife attends to that.” But is this cowardice or laziness ? . . Another type of father assumes in his family the role of lord high executioner. ‘lf you don’t stop that, ’ ’ says the . fond but foolish mother, “ I will tell your father of you.” And in some families there is no threat so dreadful. We have known a father to tell laughingly, as if it were a good joke of the poor sacred little faces which were lifted up to.his, when he appeared suddenly among them with rattan in hand, inquiring whether there were any whipping to be dealt out that • afternoon. .... . , -■ Alas ! how far away these poor earthly fathers are from the fatherly ideal which is set forth in the Bible. And how can such fathers illustrate to their children anything cf the Fatherhood of God P r - * ■ ' ■

A father ought to be friendly with his children. He ought to be interested in every interest of theirs, right down to their dollies, their bats and their balls. Nothing which concerns his children should be too trivial for his notice. e A father ought not only to love bis children, but he should show that he loves them. He ought to prove this so convincingly, that whatsoever happens, they can never doubt their father’s affection for them. We noticed at a railway station a fine looking man of about 50 years old pacing up and down the iplatform, evidently awaiting for something or someone. As the train glided into the station bis eyes scanned the carriages till they lighted upon a handsome lad of 18 years, who also was gazing eagerly at the crowd. “ Here lam Tom,” cried the gentleman joyously. The boy’s face glowed as he sprang from the platform almost before the train stopped. u Father,” said he, and in an instant he had the • grey-bearded man by the shoulders and kissed him. Then he pushed him away a little and looked him lovingly in the eyes, saying, “ I’m awfully glad to see you. How is mother ?” We looked at them wistfully as they walked away together, and thought if there were more fathers like that there would be fewer young lives wrecked upon the treacherous rocks of sin for a father’s love will hold, a boy when the sternest commands and the most rigid training would be of no avail. Far better would it be for you, and them too, had they never been bom, than that your children should be let to grow up around you unloved, untaught, untrained, a prey to every evil course of a life of Bin and unbelief, and final damnation. Heaven to you should be no place of rest or joy, were you conscious that, through your neglect or indifference, your children were then suffering eternal remorse and the wars of eternal death.

You cannot, as a parent,’ shirk your responsibility ties to your children. God will hold you equally accountable with the mother, and if they go astray, through lack of fatherly care or atfeotion, you will one day find yourself terribly to blame. =» We should all like to practise ono kind of theft. We should all like to rob the street comers, the slums, the public houses, 'or any questionable resort where the dear boys and girls are led to the bad. Loving attention at home, words of kindly sympathy, the neatly fixed room and suitable books and amusements will help to do this. And the father almost, more than the mother' can bo the proud agent in this worthy! work. From 12 to 16 is the rapidly growing awkward, blushing ago, and if the children are to bo kept at home and from ovil associations,. all in the home should unite in the. effort to produco the best type of manhood or womanhood in tho circiimstunoos.