f patriotism and loyalty more free, by following
the brave old flag through perils to final peace, in graphic sketches of
our history, from Washington's times to Lincoln's, from the days of
Greene and Putnam to those of Sherman and Grant, than from any learned
lectures on the Constitution, or abridgments of Kent and Story. Those
more universal and spiritual forces that bind us to our race and to God
are surely not to be ignored in books for children, difficult as it is
to present them adequately; and the absence of a national church makes
religion so various in its ideas and forms as not to offer that ready
and common symbolism that makes the cross as expressive as the flag to
some nations, and binds the home and country to the altar. But our best
writers are finding the way to touch the chords of supreme religion in
the young, and the nation is fast developing a faith and worship that
meet the wants of youthful feeling and fancy better than catechisms and
lectures. Our children have a much more genial church nurture now than
their parents had, and the worship in their chapels is sometimes more
impressive than that in the churches. I confess to great regret that we,
who are now in our prime, had so little joy and action in connection
with our early religious impressions, and wish better things for our
children, and delight to see the signs of amendment. Our best books are
helping it on, and bringing poetry and art, as well as good sense and
devout faith, to the rescue of our boys and girls from the prosy
pedantry that forgets that the religion of the Bible itself did not
begin in the dry letter, but was a rich and various life with Nature and
among men, before it was made into a book.

All moving forces, whether domestic, social, civil, or religious, reach
children most effectually through personal influence; and not only do
they imitate the examples, but they seem to imbibe or breathe in the
spirit of their associates and teachers. Hence the importance of having
our best people write for children, and give them the precious ministry
of all their high qualities of mind and heart. The little readers may
not take in the whole of the influence consciously at once, but they are
more receptive than they know, and take in the grace of refined manner
and pure culture, even as they take diseases, without being aware of the
fact at the time. Is it not well to treat them in their relation to
human life as God treats them in their