There is a voice, the voice of Divine Wisdom, which speaks continually to every parent, to every teacher of youth: "Incline thine ear," it says, "and hear the words of the wise, and apply thy heart unto my knowledge"--without attention and application this heavenly wisdom cannot be known. "For it is a pleasant thing," so the voice continues, "if thou keep these words within thee, if they be established together upon thy lips. That thy trust may be in the Lord,"--without whom the best-meant efforts will fail,--"I have made them known to thee this day, even to thee. Have not I written to thee excellent things of counsels and knowledge, to make thee know the certainty of the words of truth, that thou mayest carry back words of truth to them," those helpless and ignorant children whose needs "send thee" to me for instruction?[594] The failures are numerous, disastrous, heart-breaking, but they are unnecessary. Your children are holy; they belong to the Saviour in whom you yourselves believe. Grasp that truth; go to Him in sublime faith. "Lord, it is not with Thee to save a part, to choose this one and save that. Thou wilt glorify Thyself in every one."[595] Surrender yourself to Him that He may use you to exhibit His Divine graces and saving love to the children. Live with Him daily, that the glory of the communion may not pass away from your face, or appear only by fits and starts--and so train up your child according to his way; and when he is old he will not depart from it. FOOTNOTES: [575] Prov. xxii. 15. [576] John v. 39. [577] "I am the eldest child, born in 1795, December 4th, and trace deeply in myself the character of both parents, also the upbringing and example of both."--_Carlyle's Reminiscences_, vol. i., p. 54. [578] Eccles. xxx. 2. [579] Prov. xvii. 21. [580] Prov. xvii. 25, xix. 13, 26. [581] Prov. xv. 20. _Cf._ x. 1, xxvii. 11, xxix. 3. [582] Prov. xxiii. 15, 16, 24. [583] See that invaluable little book, "The Education of a Christian Home," edited by Ella S. Armitage. [584] Prov. xxiii. 17. [585] "The Education of a Christian Home." [586] Prov. xiii. 24. [587] Prov. xix. 18. [588] Prov. xx. 30. [589] Prov. xxiii. 13, 14. [590] Prov. xxix. 15. [591] Prov. xxix. 17. [592] Lev. xxvi. 41: "If then their uncircumcised heart be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity, then will I remember My covenant with Jacob." [593] Prov. xxix. 15. [594] Prov. xxiii. 17-21. [595] "The Education of a Christian Home." XXIV. _FORGIVING._ "Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause, and deceive not with thy lips. Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me; I will render to the man according to his work."--PROV. xxiv. 28, 29.