Show RELIGION OF THE CHILDREN Spirit of Faith Hope and Love Toward the Father and Mother Is Offspring's Off Off- I springs spring's World I I I We need not follow the antiquarians back Into the Ule era of the cave dwellers Jn in our or search for the origin of oC religion nell Religion on Is reborn In the birth of ot every babe abe says Lyman Abbott In n the Outlook Out Out- look ne lie needs no teacher to tell him JIm that lie he Is s dependent on his mother for or his food and a widening sense ense of bis helpless dependence on her grows with his widening experience Her lIer service to him awakens his gratitude per ber brooding love Jove for him Inspires In him an answering love loye If Il she Is IR s wise as ns well as an affectionate affectionate mother he early curly recognizes ber her authority and learns that prompt obedience Is one secret ecret of happiness If she loves and honors her husband her childs child's love and honor follows hers bers to the strong stranger If she has bas piety as well as S human buman affection tye dimly perceives In her ber prayers t Ids his bedside an nn experience which he l presently wishes he might share Thus Tbs there grows up p In him a n spirit of dependence gratitude love Jove reverence reverence reverence rever rever- ence obedience faith faith and and this spirit la is religion It antedates all theology prec precedes des thought transcends defini defini- tion The spirit of at faith hope and Jove love toward father and mother Is the childs child's religion The conception of ot God Goel and his duties toward God comes later ater |