It has been thought best to drop the Home and Children's Department, as a department; yet we shall be glad to have reports of unconscious, spontaneous, demonstrations by children. Avoid exaggeration, and let some of the children be as much as ten or fifteen years of age. There is danger of carrying the reporting of children's sayings and doings too far. Extremes are apt to be mischievous. Jesus was a mediator—one who went between. Let us go between in all things.
It is well for all, that the world should know that children trained by wise parents who are Christian Scientists, find it much easier to do right, are less liable to long, painful, or fatal illnesses, and do grow into a sweet sense of safety in God, that disarms evil, no matter what its guise. On the other hand, is there not danger of robbing the little ones of their most precious possession — unconsciousness of self? What is more painful than to see a bright three, four, or five-year-old showing off its Science sayings and doings? Also, is it not possible to put before them the temptation to feign demonstration? Again, may not the temptation to color, just a little, unconsciously and even consciously, the wonderful sayings of the most wonderful baby (every mother's possession) be placed before the mothers themselves?
"Except ye become as a little child," may mean something very different from becoming like the average child of this day and generation. The most prominent characteristic of childhood, among the Jews, in the time of the Master, was obedience — the son having to obey his father so long as the father lived. Teachableness, also, belonged to childhood; but that too was obedience. A child, as a rule, does not have to be taught naughtiness, but goodness. We may daily see the natural child who has not been taught goodness, by the "line upon line, and precept upon precept" of firm, wise, unselfish parents. Do we enjoy being in his vicinity? We manifest love toward our children, only when we sacrifice our own vanity, our love of self in them, and our indolence when firmness and patience, on our part, mean their ultimate good.
