The Congregationalist

CHILDREN'S DEPARTMENT.

FOR The Congregationalist.

Mr. Ripple:—Not long since my little girl, having looked over a number of your paper which had just arrived, came to me with the complaint that there was no "Children's Department," in it. She has been particularly interested, as doubtless have many children connected with families who take your paper, in what is contained in the "Children's Department." Let me therefore suggest to your correspondents the propriety and importance of sending you communications written especially for that department. They may thus furnish rational and desirable entertainment for the young, and help to promote, in no small measure, their intellectual, moral and spiritual improvement.

But as I sat down to write something for the "Children's Department," permit me now to address myself to them.

My young Friends, I have just spoken of your intellectual, moral and spiritual improvement. Do you know, and can you tell your parents or others, what these words mean? If you do not know, try to find out, and be able to tell. Improvement is being made better. And what can be so important to you,—what do you need so much, as to be made better? Do you not desire to be better than you are? And will you not try to be better? Intellectual improvement is the improvement of your minds, or understandings. It consists in having more knowledge,—better thoughts,—a better remembrance of things which you may see, or hear, or read, and a better judgment concerning them. Now, do you not wish to grow in knowledge, and have your minds improved? Solomon, one of the wisest of men, has said. "That the soul be without knowledge, it is not good. Get wisdom; get understanding. She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee." It is pleasant to gain knowledge, and to be able to think, and judge, and reason correctly. And the improvement of your minds may help you to be far more useful than you could otherwise be. If you wish to do much good, and to be respected, and happy, you must not be content to live in ignorance, but strive to learn. Take constant pains to know more. There was a poor ignorant boy, who became a very learned, and wise, and useful man. And how did he become so? He has told us himself. He said, "I make it my rule to know something more every night, than I knew in the morning." Is not this a good rule? He followed it when he was young. Will you not take it now for your rule, and think of it every day, and try to act according to it?

Be diligent and faithful in all the studies which your parents and teachers wish you to attend to. And ask yourself every night, whether you have made on the day before any progress in them,—whether you have learnt any thing new that day. Children who earnestly endeavor to learn, always make improvement in knowledge. Among other things, try to learn more than you know concerning yourselves,—what you are, and what you should be, and do,—for what purpose you should live and act,—and particularly, what faults are in you,—what wrong things you do,—and what evil feelings are in your hearts. Learn all you can about God your Maker, and Christ your Saviour. Read and study, and commit to memory the Word of God, as did he to whom I have just referred. Let it be truly said of you, that from childhood you have "known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise unto salvation, through faith in Jesus Christ."

Such intellectual improvement as this will be likely to produce in you, through the blessing of God, moral and spiritual improvement. And now will you not find out what moral improvement is, and what spiritual improvement is? Converse with your parents and friends about them. Think of their importance. And strive now to be truly good, and to do every thing that is right. Perhaps I shall write to you again.

V. C.