104 INFANT SCHOOLS AT THE WEST. INFANT SCHOOLS AT THE WEST. Ir may not be uninteresting if we state to our readers a few facts in rela tion to an enterprize commenced about two years since, by Miss Eliza Chappel, in the establishment of Infant Schools at the west. While an Infant School teacher at Rochester, Miss C. was brought apparently to the very borders of the grave by a consumption, and feeling that she had done but little for the kingdom of Christ, she promised, if the Lord would raise her up, that she would devote all her future efforts for the upbuilding of his kingdom. To the astonishment of her friends, she soon began to amend. While still feeble, this delicate and unprotected young female, in the spirit of Panl, bent her lonely way, fist to Mackinaw. There she established an Infant School. Her efforts were signally blessed. After nearly a year's experiment, by the advice of friends who had witnessed her operations, Miss C. visited Rochester and Utica for the purpose of awakening Christian females to provide funds and send out teachers, that schools might be multiplied broughout the valley of the west. Miss C. also visited the city of New-York, in order to learn more perfecily the Infant School system. In about six months she returned to the field of her labors with assurances, from Christian females that they would help to sustain her, in her important and arduous enterprize. Miss Chappel's mode of operation has been to establish a school, and then leave it in the hands of a teacher, sent out for this purpose. It is gratifying to state that several schools, commenced in this manner, are now in successful operation. Still the cry for more abundant and efficient aid, will be found in the subjoined Appeal. Should any Maternal Association wish to appropriate their funds in aid of this cause, by opening a correspondence with Mrs. Susan Selden, corresponding secretary of an Infant School society, recently established at Rochester, Monroe county, N. Y. they may obtain all the information requisite. Sisters! while we are praying and laboring for the conversion of our own beloved children, let us remember, that it is "he that watereth that shall himself be watered." Shall not our alms with our prayers go up before God? There is now a delightful choice of objects, presented to the sympathies, prayers, and charities of Maternal associations, throughout our land,—the support of Infant Schools at the West, and the education of the children of our beloved missionaries at the East. I write unto you, mothers, because under the guidance of the Holy Spirit you have begun a good work which I trust the Lord will carry on to a joyful consummation. I write unto you, American mothers! because you know your exaltation in spiritual privileges. Great will be your fall if you lightly esteem or neglect such distinguishing mercies. INFANT SCHOOLS AT THE WEST. 105 I write unto you, Christian mothers! because to you are committed the nurslings of the land, the rising hope of the church. I'write unto you mothers who weep for the desolations of Zion, because those tears testify your readiness to work when the Lord designates the field-because those tears are preserved in a bottle with the "golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of saints." Many a mother in our American Israel has read with emotions of peculiar delight and admiration, this simple inscription, upon a plain monument"Mary the mother of Washington." Probably there is not engraven upon marble or upon memory, a more expressive or enduring mother's epitaph, save her's of whom it was written "Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb." This inscription conveys the impression that the honor of Mary was derived from the fact that she had such a son. But is it not probable that the son attained that high eminence because his mother early instilled into his infant bosom principles of patriotism, virtue and piety, the Lord watering the seed and blessing her efforts. Was it not this early and secret influence, that enabled him to attain the greatest conquest ever achieved by man, the conquest of himself, which eventually made him the revered father of his country ?-Could an admiring and grateful people have seen the previous steps taken by this mother, to fashion his character, they would hardly less honor the mother of such a son, than the son of such a mother. You too Christian mothers, are training sons who are soon to stand upon the walls of Zion, and to fill the offices of state. America, this great nation, -the church of Christ and the world, are to receive an impress, from female influence. But I write not to awaken you to faithfulness in your own family instructions, for, on this subject, you have had “line upon line." There is a wider field open to your influence. Successful at home, you may now look abroad for foreign conquests. This field is the world. In sending Infant School missionaries to the western frontier, a few of your number have already happily and successfully entered this whitening field. Eternity alone can disclose the amount of good already done. If your benevolence and faith fail not, this good work begun I verily believe, is but as the dust of the balance, compared with the increase that is yet to follow. This is a field admirably adapted to mothers. As every member of the body of Christ has its own office, it seems peculiarly appropriate to mothers who, like Anna, wait for the consolations of Israel, that they should take little children in their arms and carry them to Jesus, that he may lay his hands upon them and bless them. In no other way can this be so effectually done, for the vast multitude of children that know not their right hand from their left, between the great Lake and the Great Gulf, and bordering the Great River of the west, as by planting Infant Schools wherever there are friends who will foster them. Every thing in nature here is stamped with greatness-the hearts of those who plan, as well as of those who labor, must be great in benevolence and strong in faith. While the busy world are rushing heedlessly on to the far 106 INFANT SCHOOLS AT THE WEST. west, eager in the pursuit of wealth, by which perhaps to destroy the souls of their own children, Christian fathers and brothers are endeavoring to plant churches and to furnish preachers and sabbath schools, mothers we trust are aiding by their prayers; but should they not have a field of their own? This should be the establishment and support of Infant Schools.-You doubtless remember the dear spot in your father's garden, which you used to watch and cultivate with so much care in the days of your childhood, and how your eyes sparkled with joy as you beheld it supplied with fruits and flowers. As you drew the attention of some kind friend to the spot, you exclaimed: "This is my garden." Would you have kept or loved it so well if it had not been your own? The same principle will give additional interest to this moral garden if it is a field of your own cultivation. If mothers who enjoy the distinguished privileges of the East, do not carry forward this work, we fear the day is far distant ere it will be accomplished. Unless the benefits of Infant Schools is demonstrated before their eyes, by actual experiment, like too many Christians who walk by faith, they will not be convinced. Like Thomas when they do see, they believe even with astonishment and admiration.-Will mothers of this age have the honor of sowing the seeds of virtue and piety in the hearts of thousands in the western valley, and receive the blessing of many ready to perish, or will they leave this work for others? We believe the Lord will accomplish it. "Perhaps in these sequestered fields, reside Will you provide the means for training such sons and daughters for God? If not you may be addressed in language similar to that of Mordecai to Esther: "For if thou altogether hold thy peace, at this time then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place, but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knowest whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" The advantages of Infant Schools are very great, as experiment has already shown on this frontier when taught and sustained, as has been the fact by persons of glowing, living piety, whose hearts are wholly in the work, who believe that God can and will convert children, and that Christ will keep all that are thus committed to him to the final day. May the Lord ever preserve Infant Schools in this western valley from the deadening influence of any other teachers. Infant Schools take children at an early age, before they become hardened under the influence of vicious examples. Here too they are kept more constantly in contact with the truth. The sabbath school holds them only two hours each week. The rest is often spent wholly in play if not in idleness and sin. At the close of the week it will be found that as little impression remains on the mind, as we can perceive traces of a stone cast upon a sheet of water six days before. The Infant School chains the mind of a child to thought and to religious truth for several hours, five or six days in succession. Im INFANT SCHOOLS AT THE WEST. 107 pressions made at this early period, ministered by the tears of a pious teacher, and sealed by the Spirit of God become woven into the texture of the soul, and are thus rendered permanent for life. Another advantage arising from this institution is, that many children are brought into these juvenile schools and receive valuable instructions, who would otherwise never attend a sabbath school. Many parents at the west have deep rooted prejudices against the sabbath schools, often they know not why, who are delighted with its younger lovely sister, and who will do much to sustain the Infant Schools, and they see no objection at all to the Infant School teachers having a class on the Sabbath, and unhesitatingly send their children. This opens a way of great usefulness. Religion may thus be carried into families who would otherwise shut their doors against every approach of the gospel. Many who rarely visit the sanctuary, or what is still worse go where error is proclaimed, where they hear only smooth things, who reject the Savior, have in this unobtrusive way, the truth carried to their fire sides. Who can calculate the blessings that might follow the conversion of a son or daughter in such families. A simple question from a darling child often sends conviction to the heart, when argument and eloquence would have failed. One such star lighted up in a family circle may continue to shine, and increase in lustre till all shall have caught the sacred flame from the same sacred altar; and at last shine as the brightness of the firmament. "They may rejoice, no wand'rer lost, A happy family in heaven! Is there an American mother who does not covet the honor, nay the privilege of bearing a part in this blessed work? This field is now wide open to your cheerful contributions and to your believing prayers, and though you may never have a monument like that of the mother of Washington, you will have one more "durable than brass" in the hearts of many raised up by your efforts, to be made pillars in the temple of God, to shine in his kingdom as stars for ever and ever. "Shall we desire the blessing and not ask for it-shall we ask for it, and not expect it shall we expect it, and not receive it? Your servant for JESUS' SAKE. For the Mother's Magazine. WHEREIN CONSISTS THE SECRET OF A MOTHER'S CONTROL OVER HER SON. No. II. MADAM.-In my former remarks on this subject, I summed up the whole I then chose to say in this,-My mother controlled my conscience because her lips kept truth. In the remarks I shall now make, I wish to reach a thought, which I would communicate by the term ubiquity. The mother, who would control the conscience of her son, can do nothing but as she takes in his es 108 A MOTHER'S CONTROL OVER Her son. timation the plan of God, as it regards this point. She must render herself familiar with his whole history. She must know where he spends his morn ings, his noons and evenings. Who are his associates? What is the character of the families he visits? Of their young men ; and their young women; and their hired men; the history of their Sabbath days, of their evening sports, of their songs and their pastimes.. She must see to it that he has no bad adviser in her own house, no song singer, no story teller, no purloiner, no thief. The depredations committed on a neighbor's fruit yard may end in highway robbery, and murder, and the gallows. A worthless hired man or servant may lead the way, and teach the doctrine that detection is all the danger and all the sin. To let the son spend one Sabbath day with one such unprincipled fellow may break her grapple of his conscience forever. The lewd girl that sews at her table or rectifies her chambers, may poison the principles of her son and lead him into the by-paths of death, and pierce his own soul with many sorrows. If she is pretty, let the mother be afraid, and if forward immediately purify her house that same day without fail. If she loves her son, or strives to see him, or be seen by him, the sin is there, death is there, hell is there. If the mother has some female acquaintance visiting her house, and her person be attractive, and her spirit sprightly, and her dress gay, and she loves to ramble, and is charmed with the beauties of evening, or the tints of the landscape, or the beauties of the starry heavens, only let the mother be omniscient and all is well. There may be no sin but a good taste; but she must know that there is a good conscience too. The mother to begin and keep up the ubiquity I speak of, must be a heaven at home. She must love to have "her feet abide in her own house." This property ought to have marked her out at first to the father of her children. It may never wane with her years, nor be crippled with her age. Let home be the sweetest place in the creation of God to the mother, and she will draw her sons around her, and hold them there, and they would rather die than leave her. Then she must accumulate the books her son should read, and the minds he should yoke with his, and then display in herself the spirit he should wear and the temper he should exhibit. And still she must look abroad, clinging to the threshhold of her house with the grasp of death, and must know what kind of influences sway her son as soon as he quits her presence. She can use other eyes beside her own. Mothers in Israel told my mother every step 1 trod, every track I took. I learned this after my mother's death. If I approached the ball room, or the card table, or the horse race, they kept her advised in time, and she forebade me to go, and then I would as soon die as go. It was then all over, and the temptation had no more charms. I must meet that mother to-morrow, and she would know how to question me, and I should be obliged to answer. It seemed to me sometimes that heaven told her all my history, and she never forgot my sins. She would remember some act of waywardness during many moons if I kept from her presence, and she had no opportunity to judge me. If the testimony was not full she knew how to secure a confession, and if not, she prayed for me, and turned me over to the judgment of the great day. The mothers in Israel that helped her watch me, often mingled their prayers |