PARENTS AND EDUCATION. Advice to WE do intreat and desire all you dear friends that are parents and governors of families, that ye diligently lay to heart your work and parents, &c. calling in your generation, for the Lord, and the charge committed to you; not only in being good examples to the younger sort, but also to use your power in your own families in educating your children and servants in modesty, sobriety, and in the fear of God, curbing the extravagant humour in the young ones when it doth appear; and not to indulge or allow of it: for you are set in your families as judges for God, and it is you that must give an account of the power committed to you. And when you see a libertine and wanton spirit appear in your children and servants, that lusteth after the vain customs and fashions of the world, either in habit or outward adorning, and craves your assistance and allowance, without which it cannot get forward while they are under your government; O then look to yourselves, and discharge your trust for God, and for the good of their souls, exhorting in meekness, and commanding in wisdom; that so you may minister and reach to the witness, and help them over their temptations, in the authority of God's power; and when they feel themselves helped and delivered, their souls will bless God for you, and you will reap the comfort of your labour. 1688. P. E. 2 ters and mis It is our Christian and earnest advice and counsel to all friends conRespecting cerned, to provide school-masters and mistresses who are faithful school-masfriends, to teach and instruct their children; and not to send them to tresses. schools where they are taught the corrupt ways, manners, fashions, and language of the world; and of the heathen in their authors; tending greatly to corrupt and alienate the minds of children into an averse 5 pations. ness or opposition against the truth, and the simplicity of it. But take care that you train up your children in the good nurture, admonition, and fear of the Lord, in that plainness and language which become truth. 1690. P. E. Advised, that school-masters and mistresses who are faithful friends, and well qualified, be encouraged in all counties, cities, great towns, or other places where there may be need: and that care be taken, that poor friends' children may freely partake of such education as may tend to their benefit and advantage, in order to apprenticeship. P. E. 1695. It being under consideration how friends' children might be disposed of, that are trained up in the way of truth, and fit to be put forth apprentices; it is the advice and counsel of friends, that special care be taken to put them apprentices to honest friends, that they may be preserved in the way of truth. 1697. This meeting doth earnestly recommend that friends of all degrees Useful occu- take due care to breed up their children in some useful and necessary employments, that they may not spend their precious time in idleness; which is of evil example, and tends much to their hurt. 1703. P. E. 6 Education. As touching the education of friends' children, for which this meeting hath often found a concern, we think it our duty to recommend unto you, that no opportunity be omitted, nor any endeavours wanting, to instruct them concerning the principle of truth which we profess: and there being times and seasons, wherein their spirits are, more than at others, disposed to have such things impressed upon them, so we desire that all parents, and others concerned in the oversight of youth, may wait in the fear of God to know themselves qualified for that service; that in his wisdom they may make use of every such opportunity which the Lord shall put into their hands. 1717. P. E. We tenderly recommend to all parents, and such as may have the care of children, that they do, as far as in them lies, carefully inspect, and narrowly inquire into, the manner of their conversation; that where counsel or reproof may be wanted, it may in the spirit of love and in sound judgment be given. 1724. P. E. And you who are parents of children, labour fervently in spirit, with secret supplication unto the Lord, that he may give them an inheritance in the truth, wherein they may be enabled to stand up in their generation after you, to his praise and glory, rather than labour to get inheritances for them in this world, which has proved a snare and temptation to some to shun the cross, and embrace the glory of this present world. But let those to whom God hath given riches, take the apostle's advice, That they be not highminded, but fear, and trust not in uncertain riches; but therewith be rich in good works, willing to communicate, ready to distribute, and therein be a good example to their children.1 1725. P. E. We earnestly and tenderly advise, that mothers of children (as well as fathers), as they have frequently the best opportunities, would take particular care to instruct them in the knowledge of religion, and the Holy Scriptures; because it has been found by experience, that good impressions, early made on the tender minds of children, have proved lasting means of preserving them in a religious life and conversation. When parents or guardians are deficient in such their care, we recommend to monthly meetings, that they stir them up thereto, either by visiting them in their families, or in such manner as in the wisdom of God they may see meet; that so the doctrines of the Gospel, and a conversation agreeable thereto, may be maintained unto all generations. 1731. P. E. And, as it hath been frequently the care and concern of the meeting to advise parents, and all who have the tuition and education of chil 1 11 Instruction in modern languages. dren, to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, we are still sensible that there is occasion to repeat our tender advice and exhortation that you would lay this matter closely to heart; for it is certain that the preservation of your offspring in the way of true religion and godliness, is of much greater moment to their happiness, both in this life and in that which is to come, than any thing else you are capable of doing for them. We therefore renew our advice, that you be diligently exercised in such a godly care, waiting upon God for wisdom from him, first to walk wisely and circumspectly before them yourselves, and then you may, with more weight and authority, in the meekness of that wisdom, instruct, advise, exhort, and rebuke, as you shall see occasion. And we think it will contribute very much to your success in these endeavours, if you put them frequently, in a solemn manner, upon reading the Holy Scriptures, especially such parts of them as relate to the great doctrines and precepts of the Christian religion, and then wait upon God with them, that you may become instruments to open their understandings; and, in the sense of his power and wisdom, press them closely to the practice of what they read. Such an exercise as this, begun early and frequently repeated, we recommend as the indispensable duty of all concerned, and the most likely means for the preservation and improvement of children in the way of truth; and, through the Lord's blessing, to secure them from being prevailed upon by the many false, deceitful spirits that are gone forth into the world, tending to subvert the Christian faith, and a practice and conversation agreeable thereto. 1735. P. E. It has been the concern of this meeting, from the relation given of truth's spreading in foreign countries, that friends who are of ability, and have the prosperity of truth at heart, would in the education of their children take care, as suitable opportunities and occasions may offer, to let them be instructed in some modern tongues, as French, High and Low Dutch, Danish, &c. that so when they are grown up, they may reap the benefit thereof; and, as it shall please the Lord to dispose and incline them, may be of service to the church. 1737. W. E. We do with earnestness recommend to all such parents as have experienced the gracious dealings of the Lord with their own souls, to take all proper opportunities of instilling into the minds of their children just sentiments respecting the vanity and emptiness of fading and transitory enjoyments; and to direct them to seek after that solid peace and serenity of mind, which attend the sincere practice of true religion and virtue. 1745. P. E. 12 Parents, &c. 13 School-mas. We desire that your several monthly and quarterly meetings, where any school-masters or mistresses of our profession may reside, may ters and mis not be wanting to admonish them, to bring up the children of friends, tresses. committed to their care, as much as in them lies, in plainness of speech, behaviour, and apparel, agreeable to our profession: and that such of them as have boarders in their families, would frequently call them together, and accustom them to a solemn reading of the Holy Scriptures, and press and excite them to the observance of the Christian precepts therein contained: and that they themselves walk before the scholars as ensamples of that plainness and simplicity which they recommend. 1745. P. E. As the want of proper persons amongst friends qualified for schoolmasters hath been the occasion of great damage to the society in many places, as thereby well-disposed friends are deprived of opportunities for the education of their children in a manner consistent with a religious concern for their welfare, and have been necessitated to send them to those of other persuasions; whereby the tender minds of such children have been in great danger of being leavened into the language, customs, and habits of the world, from whence it is difficult afterwards to reclaim them; we desire friends would attend to this important point, and in their monthly meetings assist young men of low circumstances, whose genius and conduct may be suitable for that office, with the means requisite to obtain the proper qualifications; and, when so qualified, afford them the necessary encouragement for their support. 1751. W. E. 14 C C |