he most lasting," is another true adage. This
being so, we should see to it that the first impression the child gets
on the subject in question is the one we wish him to keep. Many a life
has been lamed and saddened because of the first terrible and
ineradicable impressions it received upon this all-important subject.
Many a high-minded man and woman have gone through life tormented by
images of the first unworthy thoughts. No matter how good the
after-knowledge may be, it is almost impossible to erase from the
tablets of memory that old first impression.

Of course it would be absurd to tell a young child most of the facts,
just as it would be absurd to try to teach him the whole arithmetic in
one school term. He could not understand, and, particularly in the case
of the former subject, he would be harmed instead of helped. Just how
and when to unfold the matter to his comprehension will be carefully
considered as these pages progress. Here let it suffice to say that with
the young child we may begin by building carefully block by block the
foundation we want to use later; with the older one we must needs work
faster, seeking to anticipate or counteract any unfortunate information
from outside sources. Thus the age of the child and his surroundings
will to an extent determine the time or times of telling the facts.

III

HOW TO TELL THE STORY

This is the most difficult question to answer, and one that requires
time. Indeed, one might say it cannot be answered excepting in a general
way, and that any effort to tell the truth sacredly is better than not
to tell it at all. Where the children are still young the task is
comparatively simple when once begun. It develops naturally, with time
for thought on the part of the teller; and the steps are easy and
convincing.

One of the questions most frequently asked is this: Does not talking
about these things fix the child's mind unduly upon them?

As a matter of experience it is just the other way. The child who has
always known the facts is not curious. Why should he be? There is
nothing to be curious about. It is all as much a matter of course to
him as the rising of the sun. And he is safeguarded against a certain
pruriency that comes from wrongly stimulated and vilely fed curiosity.
Instead of causing the child to think more about the subject, the
tendency of good teaching is to prevent his thinking of it.

Another question frequently asked is, Does not tal