AFTER herself, a mother's spiritual solicitude will be for her children. The question has sometimes been raised whether we ought to teach our children to pray? I am persuaded that with a thorough acquaintance with the Scriptures, such a question never could be raised. We have the apostolic injunction to bring the children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. In what way are we to carry out this injunction? What shape shall our instructions take? We shall tell our children of God's wonderful works in the days of old, of His goodness to those who trusted and obeyed Him; of His wrath and power manifested upon wicked men who feared Him not; of His goodness to us, that everything we have and enjoy comes from Him; that He makes the sun to shine and the rain to fall, that we may be supplied with food from the good things which the field and garden yield. Telling them of these things which come on the just and unjust alike, shall we omit to tell them of the time, close at hand, when He will send the Lord Jesus Christ to establish a glorious state of things upon earth, in which only those will share His love, who obey and trust Him now? If there be any preference, it will be shown for the unsearchable riches to which our children, equally with ourselves, may attain. Such daily instruction will not fail to provoke within them a desire to be among those whom God will love and bless in the day of the manifestation of His sons. This desire will find expression in their talk. We delight to hear them express such desires to ourselves. Shall we restrain them, if they wish to express them to God? We teach them to thank an earthly friend who bestows upon them a gift, and consider it a breach of good manners if they omit the ceremonial, and shall we teach them to be less respectful to the Heavenly Giver of every good thing? To this it is said by some, "but the children are not in a position to approach God; none but those who believe the truth and have been immersed, can acceptably pray to God." Regarding the eternal relationship of sons, this is true, but shall we shut them out of the relation that is actually theirs? They are creatures of His hand. They may thank Him for their being as such. They are possible candidates for sonship. They may, like Cornelius, present their aspirations in prayer to be guided into that relation. Shall we forbid a child to say? "O Lord, I am a poor child of the dust. I desire to be an heir of life everlasting, through Christ, Lead me into the way," If a sinner's "Lord be merciful to me a sinner," was heard, who shall shut the mouth of an instructed child who is daily progressing to maturer knowledge of divine things? Much hurtful neglect has come from wrong views on this question: or rather the mis-application of a right view.

We know that God heareth not sinners, and that the prayers of the wicked are an abomination to Him; but the children of believers are not of that class. The sinner and the wicked of these statements are of that class that are given over to transgression, and it is with reason that they should not be heard; but our children are the seed of the righteous, whom the Lord has promised to bless. They are the children of the household, and are being prepared, in order that they may become acceptable worshippers when their understanding is sufficiently developed to comprehend what is required of them. Meanwhile, when their hearts are stirred to thank Him for the good things they enjoy, for the food they eat, and for the comforts of home and the beautiful world outside, let us not restrain their thanksgiving; but rather teach and encourage them to acknowledge God in all these things. Christ took an interest in the children when he was upon earth, contrary to the expectations of his disciples, who sought to prevent the mothers intruding their children upon his attention. He took them up in his arms and blessed them, and surely he would be pleased now with the effort to develop their minds in a direction pleasing to him. God himself we are told, hears the ravens when they cry (Psa. 147:9) and the young lions roar after their prey and seek their meat from God (Psa. 104:21). If He is mindful of the inferior creatures of His power, doubtless He will regard those to whom a higher destiny is offered.- Jane Roberts

Man is small and life is short, and the issues of futurity are immeasurable and can only be truly judged by unerring wisdom ... For this reason all our petitions should be qualified, recognising the will of God as the supreme Regulator. We should in everything give thanks and in all our petitions subordinate our own ideas and wishes to the perfect will of God.

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