The Influence of Spirituality on the Child
Given in Hawthorne Ward by Pearl Lambert

The hope and glory of Israel are the children.

The question, “Shall our children be taught Religion?”  Awakens widely different responses among different parents.  Some teach them from birth, others say that religion makes children dependent rather than self-reliant.  The majority care nothing about it either way.  Yet their children are being taught religion.  Everything they learn of the universe and its wonderful operations bespeak a Master Hand and commands reverence and awe.

In the sun, the moon, the sky, in the mountains wild and high;
            In the thunder, in the rain, in the winds, the woods, the plains;
            In the little birds that sing, God is seen in everything.

Pres. Hall appeals to parents to utilize nature as an aid to fanning the religious spark in the child’s soul.  He says, “I know that my own early contacts with nature counted for much in quickening of the religious sense, and that to this day an appreciation of the Divine in the universe are heightened within me, my whole being is exalted when I gaze over the immensities of the ocean; downward from the mountain tops, or upward to the starry canopy.” 

Nature is a prize teacher of childhood regards to love of good, the beautiful and the true fine love of God.  For the infant, there is no better religion than the sense of love and dependence which is felt and developed toward the mother, which in later life is turned toward our Heavenly parent.  Later the truest religion that lives in the child’s soul is feeling the objects of nature; dawn, twilight, gray clouds, rain, sunshine, running brooks, flowers and trees.

In this way the race has ascended from nature to nature’s God.  The child who had adored and sent wishes to the moon, will worship the unseen Lord of Heaven and earth better and truer.  To have mused in the forest and by the lakes, make it easier to draw near to God.  Solitude with nature invites the Heavenly Powers.  A child who develops without this, lacks something very basal in its religious life.

Nature quickens an understanding of a god, but does not give an appreciation of life’s highest meaning.  It is the parents right and privilege to do this.          

Do not begin to culture the tree at the top, but the roots.  Train a child in the way he should do, and when he is old, he will not depart therefrom

Opportunity for the spiritual growth of the child has never been greater – yet the Home is the greatest educational institution of them all. 
            Babyhood is the time to begin training.

It is the influence of the first prayer lisped by baby lips at Mother’s knee that lingers longest in the heart.  We all know it is our duty to send our children to Sunday School, Primary and Priesthood meetings, M.I.A.  But do we sense the responsibility of living up to the glorious principles of the Gospel they teach, in our homes?  They teach the Word of Wisdom; do we drink tea or coffee?  They teach to keep the Sabbath Day Holy; do we make it a day of pleasure?  They teach to honor the Priesthood; do we backbite and slander officials?

If we could realize the great influence of home life upon our children, we would never merit that great blight of evil criticism to abide in our homes; it is as destructive to moral and spiritual life as poison is to the body.  It is sin laden, faith killing, soul destroying. 

One thinker said, “Our children come to us a bound volumes of white paper, upon which will be written the record of our lives, and he added, ‘Be careful, oh, ye parents, what you write, for the world will read’.”

The atmosphere of the home teaches the child the Universe is friendly and that love is found there or that it is indifferent and selfish.  If raised with sympathy, understanding, kindness and love; he builds a Universe that reflect these things.

The child must be taught God is a Loving Father who rewards good deeds, and that we must not grieve Him by being bad – rather than God’s wrath will follow our misbehavior.

H.G. Wells wrote that in youth, God and his hell were a constant nightmare, yet I believe.”  Dr. Sidis says, “My early religious thought was the Direful Eternity of Torture if not good.”

This fear many times results in nervous physical conditions and not faith in a Loving God.

Sunday should not be a day of gloom, a joyous day to be looked forward to, a special dish, tell beautiful Bible stories, a nice walk and talk with nature, in church he will feel something vaster than himself that uplifts and strengthens him.  Reading the Bible develops intellect and is a character builder and quickens the religious impulse.  The child knows if you are religious.

Religion teaches the real purposes of life; how to live in harmony with God and man.  It tells us to measure greatness by service rendered, not by power acquired.  It places nobility of character in the highest place rather than material gain.

The Doctrine and Covenants Sec. 68:25 says, if parents do not teach their children faith in Christ, repentance, baptism and Laying on hands for the Gift of the Holy Ghost, the parents sin.

May our children be a credit to Zion and exalted in the Kingdom of Our Father.

Grandmothers Tree must be preserved without a petal missing.  The task is ours.  Without religion you are on the sea of life without a compass, you are a wondering star, a voiceless bird, a motionless brook, a heart without hope and a life without God.

True Religion fills the heart with joy; it fills our souls with hope, the eye with brightness, the voice with sunshine, the lips with song, and the life with an abiding faith in our God.