at
other people think or do not think of them is of no consequence, but
the only vital things are what God thinks and they think of
themselves. Hundreds of children's afterlives are shipwrecked because
they were only taught all the dry dogmas and seemings of religion, and
the real meaning was never explained to them. I know a rigorously
strict clergyman's family where the children are taught and conform to
all the observances of their father's church, and yet a falser, more
paltry set of young creatures could not be found--they have never had
it explained to them that it is impossible to hoodwink God. For a
perfect example of the religious spirit _not to_ employ towards
children, all mothers ought to read the immortal scene between Trilby
before she dies and Mrs. Bagot--when the narrow woman expresses her
puny views and Trilby puts forth her broad and true ones. It is so
incredibly stupid to use obsolete methods which can never obtain the
desired end just because the dominion of custom is still strong upon
us, and we have not been intelligent enough to grasp and benefit by
the spirit of the age. For all mothers must realise that they can
never dominate the spirit of the age, and must either make vain fights
with it, and be conquered to their loss, or must make terms with it
and use it in its brightest and best aspect. The spirit of this age is
a totally different one to the spirit of their own childhood's age. It
is shorn of reverence and unquestioning obedience to elders, and is an
independent creature who will only obey through conviction of good or
personal benefit. Children are unerring and pitiless judges of those
placed over them, and how can a mother, just because she is a mother,
expect respect and reverence in her children if she earns their
contempt by her conduct and selfishness?

It is the spiritual mother's duty to instil chivalry towards the other
sex into her little sons from earliest years, by making them polite to
herself and to their sisters. She should, before they go to school and
when they return for the holidays, endeavour to influence them into
liking cleanliness and care of their persons, especially when with
ladies. She should try to make these little men so happy and
contented, so certain of sympathy and understanding that home spells
heaven for them and remains the dearest memory of their lives, and for
her little girls, over whom she has a far vaster influence, she should
polish their minds,