In her book "Pulpit and Press" (p. 8) our Leader writes: "The children are destined to witness results which will eclipse Oriental dreams. They belong to the twentieth century;" and on the following page she says, "Ah, children, you are the bulwarks of freedom, the cement of society, the hope of our race!" Peter spoke of "the gift of the Holy Ghost," and said of it, "For the promise is unto you, and to your children." What does this mean? Holy means whole, well. Ghost means Spirit. Therefore, the gift of the one whole Spirit is for our children.
The need and the result of right instruction are recognized in the Scriptural words, "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." At the present time, thought is filled with theories as to the best training for children, especially that which concerns their physical well-being. To those who have had any actual experience with children, many of these theories appear unwise. "Disease germs" are constantly being impressed upon the thought of the parents as a reality, until it is a wonder that any of their children survive the ordeal. The Master's counsel, "Suffer little children to come unto me," seems in the main to be forgotten.
It is to be remembered that the Israelites were bidden diligently and constantly to teach their children the laws of God as the only means by which health, happiness, and prosperity could be secured. The result of this careful religious training was seen in Joseph, David, Daniel, and others. An excellent example of the effect in after life of this godly training of a child is to be found in Timo-theus, or Timothy, as Paul calls him. It is said in Acts that Timothy was found by Paul at Lystra, that his mother was a Jewess who had accepted the truth, that his father was a Greek and had apparently passed away, for the boy had been left to the special care of his mother and grandmother. Paul writes, first, of the sincere faith that dwelt in Timothy's grandmother Lois and, then, in his mother Eunice, and also of that which, as he was fully convinced, dwelt in Timothy also. All that is known of these two women is that because of their having carefully trained their son and grandson in the knowledge of the Holy Scriptures their names gained a place in the Bible—the greatest Book in the world. As Timothy grew to manhood, his religious zeal became known at Lystra and Iconium, and the people spoke of him as a prophet. From Paul's two letters to Timothy, and from contemporary history, it is learned that he became of great assistance to Paul. He later became a bishop at Ephesus. Timothy's career was decidedly a credit to the teaching of his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice.
