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1.

A THOUGHT on the manner of Educating Children.

A

Gentleman with whom I was converfing awhile ago,

was fpeaking largely on the manner of educating Children. He objected ftrongly to the bringing them up too ftrictly, to the giving them more of Religion than they liked; to the telling them of it too often, or preffing it upon them whether they will or no. He faid, He never preffed it upon his own' Children, but only spoke of it occafionally in their hearing; and if they appeared affected; then answered their queftions, or perhaps fpoke to them directly. He thought that the common methods that are ufed in those that are called religious Schools, of talking about divine things continually, and daily preffing it upon Children, did abundantly more harm than good; efpecially if any feverity were used: and concluded with faying, that thofe children who had been trained up in this manner, as foon as the reftraint was taken off, were commonly worse than others,

2. As all this was perfectly new to me, I made little answer for the prefent: but it put me upon much thought! I knew it was quite agreeable to the fentiments of Rousseau, in his Emilius, the moft empty, filly, injudicious thing, that ever a felf-conceited infidel wrote. But I knew it was quite con, trary to the judgment of the wifeft and beft men I have known. I thought, If thefe things are fo, how much mischief have we done unawares? How much hurt has Mifs Bofanquet (now Mrs. Fletcher) been doing in the world for many years? How much more have the Mifs Owens done, fpoiling twenty Children at a time? How much mischief is Mifs Bishop likely to do? Perhaps more than even Mifs Owen! Above all, how much mischief has been done, and is now doing at Kingswood? Where (if this hypothefis be true) we are continually ruining fifty children at a time!

"But

3. "But be this as it may, I urge the matter of fact, against fuch an Education. The Children educated thus, are when grown up, actually worse than other men or women," I doubt the fact: nay that is not enough: I totally deny it. As frequently as this has been affirmed, it is notorioufly false. Some few, and very few of thofe women, that were brought up by Mifs Bofanquet or Mifs Owen, either never were converted to God (perhaps never convinced of fin) or have made Shipwreck of the faith, and at the fame time, of its attendant a good confcience. And undoubtedly thefe would be worse than others, than those who had not fo grieved the Holy Spirit of God. The fame may be faid of fome of thofe men that were educated at Kingswood School. If they quenched the Spirit, they would be worse than those that never were partakers of it. But this proves nothing, unless it were a general case, which is not by any means true. Many both of the women who were educated by Mifs Bofanquet or Miss Owen, and of the men who were educated at Kingswood, are holy in heart and in life, and trust they shall praise God to all eternity, that ever they faw those schools.

4. Yet I allow that what is commonly called a Religious Education, frequently does more hurt than good: and that many of the perfons who were fo educated, are finners above other men, yea, and have contracted an enmity to Religion, which usually continues all their lives. And this will na turally be the case, if either the Religion wherein they are inftructed, or the manner of inftructing them be wrong. But in most of those that are termed Religious Schools, there is a grand error either in the former or the latter inftance.

5. With regard to the former, how few are there of those that undertake the education of children, who understand the nature of Religion: who know what true Religion is? Some of them fuppofing it to be barely the doing no harm, the abftaining from outward fin: fome, the ufing the means of grace, faying our prayers, reading good books, and the like:

and

and others the having a train of right opinions, which is vulgarly called Faith. But all thefe, however common in the world, are grofs and capital errors. Unless Religion be defcribed as confifting in holy tempers, in the love of God and our neighbour, in humility, gentleness, patience, longfuffering, contentedness in every condition; to fum up all, in the image of God, in the mind that was in Chrift: it is no wonder if these that are inftructed therein are not better, but worse than other men. For they think they have Religion, when indeed they have none at all, and so add pride to all their other vices.

6. But fuppofe thofe that educate them judge right, with regard to the nature of Religion, they may ftill be mistaken with regard to the manner of inftilling it into children. They may not have the fpirit of government, to which fsome even good men are utter ftrangers. They may habitually lean to this or that extreme, of remiffness or of severity. And if they either give children too much of their own will, or needlessly and churlishly restrain them; if they either use no punish ment at all, or more than is neceffary, the leaning either to one extreme or the other, may fruftrate all their endeavours. In the latter cafe, it will not be ftrange, if Religion stink in the noftrils of thofe that were fo educated. They will naturally look upon it as an auftere, melancholy thing; and if they think it neceffary to falvation, they will efteem it a neceffary evil, and fo put it off as long as poffible.

7. But does it follow, that we ought not to inftil true Religion into the minds of Children as early as poffible? Or rather that we should do it, with all diligence, from the very time that Reason dawns? Laying line upon line, precept upon precept, as soon and as fast as they are able to bear it? By all means. Scripture, Reason and Experience jointly tellify, that inafinuch as the corruption of Nature is earlier than our inftructions can be, we fhould take all pains and care, to counter-act this corruption, as early as poffible. The

bias of nature is fet the wrong way: Education is defigned to fet it right. This, by the grace of God, is to turn the bias from Self-will, Pride, Anger, Revenge, and the Love of the World, to Refignation, Lowlinefs, Meeknefs, and the Love of God. And from the moment we perceive any of thofe evil roots fpringing up, it is our bufinefs immediately to check their growth, if we cannot yet root them out. As far as this can be done by mildness, softness and gentleness, certainly it fhould be done. But fometimes thefe methods will not avail, and then we muft correct with kind severity. For where tenderness will not remove the fault, He that Spareth the rod, Spoileth the child. To deny this, is to give the lie to the God of truth, and to fuppofe we can govern better than him. For whom the Lord loveth he chafteneth, and Scourgeth every fon whom he receiveth.

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8. In the name of God then, and by the authority of his word, let all that have Children, from the time they begin to speak or run alone, begin to train them up in the way wherein they fhould go to counter-work the corruption of their nature with all poffible affiduity: to do every thing in their power to cure their felf-will, pride, and every other wrong temper. Then let them be delivered to Inftructors, (if such can be found) that will tread in the fame fteps; that will watch over them as immortal fpirits, who are fhortly to appear before God, and who have nothing to do in this world, but to prepare to meet him in the clouds, feeing they will be eternally happy, if they are ready; if not, eternally miferable. J. W.

WH

A Remarkable Inftance of Honesty.

Hereas Edward Bishop of Great Yarmouth, formerly a Member of the Methodist Society, is departed therefrom; it is defired of the public, that if they fee any diforder in his life and converfation, they will not lay the reproach on the faid Society, or rather on the Gofpel of Chrift...

+ He caufed the above to be stuck up in different parts of the Town.

LETTERS.

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LETTER S.

LETTER

CCCIV.

[From Mifs C. M. to the Rev. Mr. Wesley.]

Rev. and dear Sir,

September 26, 1765.

Cannot be difpleafed at your labouring to do me good. We have as much need to attend to our Shepherd's warning, as to his comfortable voice, the one prepares us to receive the other. When the Lord lovingly reproves me for turning to the right hand or the left, I thankfully receive his kind admonitions, and I esteem it as a proof of his love, and a fresh affurance that he rejoices in my profperity. You may fee my dangers more clearly than I do myfelf; but if felflove and partiality do not blind my eyes, I think I am very free from enthufiafm. I am fenfible of the bleffing of poffeffing the spirit of faith, of love, and of a found mind, and it is my defire to be fober minded, and to hope to the end, living as one that loves, and waits for the appearing of the great God our Saviour.

You quite mifunderstood me, if you think I am seeking after any higher, or different Perfection, " than love filling the heart, and governing the life." This I efteem my calling's hope, and this I am perfuaded you with me to poffefs. O that the Lord would come fuddenly to his temple, and give me to feel, "The King of Ifrael, the Lord of Hofts is in the midst of thee, and thou shalt fee evil no more."

I find comfortable feafons. God is prefent with me: and I rejoice in hope of being filled with the fulness of love. I hope the time is at hand; the Lord knoweth the mind of the

fpirit,

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