—we have seen our children come to the Lord and iden tify themselves as positive Christians. Call it coincidental if you must, but I add that not one of these children made profession of faith in a public evangelistic meeting. Each met the Saviour either at my wife’s knee or at my own. We have traveled thousands of miles together, on a budget that did not so much as permit the renting of a lakeside cabin for a week. Instead, thanks to the Ameri can procedure of so much down and so much a month, we bought an inexpensive tent. With it, we’ve camped in the mountains, at Niagara, out in the desert, and alongside Grand Canyon. Some of our most memorable occasions in family de votions have come out in the fresh breath of nature, a Christian family enjoying together those profuse magni- ficances the Lord has provided, but which so few take time to enjoy. One morning, for example, a giant sequoia formed the background for “ But grow in grace and in the knowl edge of our Lord Jesus Christ,” as we told our children, “ It gives the Lord much pleasure to create one of these great trees, but not nearly so much pleasure as when He sees the building of a beautiful Christian life.” Discipline, too, has come as a natural course. Five, then six, and then seven youngsters make up a sizable safari; and more than once wary shopkeepers have watched askance lest something go splintering to the floor. We’ll always remember, however, the day we went through Ashland Manor, home of Henry Clay in Lex ington, Kentucky. The lady in charge followed us through several rooms. But we had experienced this be fore, so we weren’t overly embarrassed. After a bit, however, she disappeared. She was sitting at her desk in the lobby, as we concluded the tour. “ I must tell you something,” she said as we left. “ Never in my life have I seen such a large group of well-mannered children.” I winked at my wife. Two of our older children grin ned. Outside, one of them said, “ Boy, Dad, it’s a good thing she doesn’t see us sometimes!” But, to this day when we go out together—those who yet remain with us —the very mention of “Ashland manners” brings im mediate meaning and results. Even in our family worship, we have tried to inter sperse the aspect of play. Instead of reading the Bible without comment, we relate it to the natural events of childhood, and of the rapidly passing year: the excite ment of a ball game, the fun you can have at a friend’s house or when he comes to yours, whenever events of the day cast any shade of meaning upon the portion being read. For, again and again, the introductory light touch would gain and hold attention for the deeper meanings which might otherwise be missed. Sometimes, frankly, we have wondered if our em phasis on taking the happiness approach might be over done. Like the time, for example, when one of our boys exclaimed: “ You don’t seem like our parents sometimes! You’re just like one of us!” But there was also the day when another of our chil dren, in a solemn moment said, “ I sure feel sorry for kids who don’t have a family like ours. No wonder they can’t understand why us kids are all Christians.” Draw your own conclusions. Rest assured, too, that our family life has not been spared its share of blemishes. But do be wise enough to face, as we have faced, the fact that a long, long bridge spans the gap between child hood and you. Only as you reach across this bridge to your children can you lead them safely across.
the CURE of JUVENILE DELINQUENCY by William Ward Ayer CAUSE
Train up a child in the w ay he should go; and when he is old, he w ill not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6.
The most effective place to pollute a stream is at its course. Satan and his forces are effectively poisoning and polluting the life-stream of America today b y contaminating the homes and the hearts of our young people. The fact of America’s juvenile delinquency is too well known to need any array of statistics to prove its actuality. Rather we shall point out some o f the causes of the moral drift and note its effect. Today a large percentage o f our population, perhaps as high as forty-five million Americans, are not connected with any Christian Church— Protestant or Catholic. At the same time, it is estimated that four and one-half m illion criminals are operating in this country, many of them youths in their early teens. This is three times the number of students in our universities. The an nual crime bill o f the United States is close to sixteen billion dollars, about one hundred and twenty dollars for each American; and the situa tion is intensifying all the time. Certainly Chris tian people must face this tragic situation and see what can be done about it. Here is the inescapable cause o f our trouble: Thirty million children are growing up without religious instruction o f any sort. If this continues, America will become a pagan country in another generation. It is amusing to hear some sociologists and psychiatrists glibly explain away these condi tions. It seems to be a part of their profession to deal in Pollyanna phrases and to brush over every dark picture with senseless optimism. While the psychiatrist and psychologist have ofttimes done noble service in the diagnosis of social conditions, I believe that God gives the best instruction for child training: “ Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” END
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DECEMBER, 1960
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