so that we might discipline them in love. A child cannot provide for itself. There are long years before he becomes mature enough to use proper discern ment. Science reveals today that many of the actions of the pregnant mother affect the embryo carried in her womb during the gestation period from con ception to birth. How grateful we should be that our Saviour has so structured the body to protect the baby from much of the harmful action of the mother. As an example, the food intake of the mother may have a great and even a harmful affect upon the child. Scientists at the University of Michi gan have reported that a mother, carry ing a child at certain times in her life, may affect it even by taking aspirin. This was reported in a medical journal just this last year. Last fall, a baby born to a 27 year old Yukon mother, an alcoholic, weighed 4 pounds and 15 ounces at birth. Its breath was alcohol ic. This little child, for 24 hours, was jerky and jumpy. To quote the Canadi an Medical Association Journal, it had delirium tremens symptoms. The American Medical Association wrote of a similar experience in New Jersey. Doctors were surprised that a certain new born infant went through all the symptoms of narcotic addiction: withdrawal, convulsions and the like. Checking out the mother they found her to be a confirmed addict. For three or four days that child continued all of the symptoms. It has been shown by statistics that twice as many babies are bom mental ly defective in the spring after a hot summer. Why is this? During the hot summer, not infrequently, mothers who are carrying a child when the cerebral cortex is being formed, instead of eat ing proteins and the proper building blocks, have nourished themselves on ice teas and soda water. These are delectable but do not provide material to build up the brain. There is a great deal of data avail able concerning four areas or factors affecting the unborn baby in various 4
when a little boy came up to me and said, “Mr. Smith, I want to show you my pictures.” He got out a box in which he had more than a hundred snapshots which he had taken with an expensive camera his father and mother had gotten for him. Frankly, it would have taken a Ph.D. to operate the thing. Do you know, not a single one of those pictures* was in focus. When he had gone out to play I said to his mother, “Have you had little Jimmy’s eyes examined? From the looks of his pictures, it may be he has seriously impaired vision.” She was quite sure it was merely a case that he didn’t know how to use the camera. She agreed, however, to take him to the doc tor. His eyes were examined and he was fitted with glasses. Some weeks later when I was in that same home the mother filled up with emotion and tears came in her eyes. She said, “Do you know what my little lad said to me after he got his glasses? ‘Mommy, for the first time, I can see the tops of the trees!’ ” Whereas he had been doing poorly in school he later went to a university and took top honors in his particular field of study. We are entirely responsible for our children’s physical well being. How many mothers know the distinction be tween a carbohydrate, a vitamin and a protein? I wonder if they really know what a good balanced diet is. Are you providing all that is necessary for the proper development of your offspring? The Psalmist writes of the Lord, “Thou hast set the solitary in families.” How grateful we should be for our children. Only the Lord can guide us as fathers and mothers with discernment. Will you seek His help in communion with Him and through the power and in spiration of His Word? Chapter Two O ne of the primary reasons why God has given children parents is
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