the seed which will spring up and bear fruit either for good or evil. They can fit their sons and daughters for happiness or misery. p. 135, Para. 1, [4SGb].
Children should be taught very young to be useful, to help themselves, and help others. Many daughters of this age can see their mothers toiling, cooking, washing, or ironing, while they sit without remorse of conscience in the parlor to read stories, knit edging, crotchet, or embroider. Their hearts are as unfeeling as a stone. But where does this wrong originate? Who are the ones usually to blame in this matter? The poor, deceived parents. They overlook the future good of their children, and in their mistaken fondness, let them sit in idleness, or do that which is of but little account, which requires no exercise of the mind or muscles, and excuse the indolent daughters because they are weakly. What has made them weakly? It has often been the wrong course of the parents. A proper amount of exercise about the house would improve both mind and body. But they are deprived of this through false ideas, until the children are averse to work. Work is disagreeable, and does not accord with their ideas of gentility. It is thought to be unlady-like and coarse to wash dishes, iron, or stand over the wash-tub. This is the fashionable instruction which is given children in this unfortunate age. p. 135, Para. 2, [4SGb].
God's people should be governed by different principles than worldlings, who seek to gauge all their course of action according to fashion. In every instance should Godfearing parents train their children for a life of usefulness. They should not permit their principles of government to be tainted with the extravagant notions prevailing in this age, that they must conform to the fashions and be governed by the opinions of worldlings. They should not permit their children to choose their own associates. Teach them that it is your duty to choose for them. Prepare them to bear burdens when young. If your children have been unaccustomed to labor, they will soon become weary. They will complain of side-ache, pain in the shoulders, and tired limbs, and parents will be in danger through sympathy, of doing their work themselves, rather than have their children suffer a little. Let the burden upon the children be very light a first, and then increase the labors a little more every day, until they can do a proper amount of labor without becoming so weary. Inactivity is the greatest cause of side-ache and shoulder-