Article April 12, 1930 Issue

Teaching Children Obedience

GEORGIA SELBY DAVIS

MRS. EDDY writes in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 62), "The entire education of children should be such as to form habits of obedience to the moral and spiritual law." Paul writes, "Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord." How important it is, then, that pupils in our Sunday schools should be taught the love of law and the joy of obedience! If a child is taught that law is his friend, operating to bring him joy, happiness, and good, he will learn to respect law and be obedient thereto, not from fear of punishment, but from love of righteous law.

In her address entitled "Obedience" in "Miscellaneous Writings" our Leader says (p. 116), "Obeying the divine Principle which you profess to understand and love, demonstrates Truth." On the next page she says, "Obedience is the offspring of Love; and Love is the Principle of unity, the basis of all right thinking and acting; it fulfils the law." While the children are being instructed in the necessity for loving obedience, they are thereby being taught how to overcome the mortal beliefs which are the enemies of true success and happiness.

Once in Sunday school, when the little ones were becoming restless, a teacher lifted her thought in prayer for guidance. Then she talked to them of the meaning of obedience. For illustration, she asked the children to see how quickly they could do what they were told to do, as she gave the command to stand, turn around, sit, fold hands. The response was quick and joyous. The children caught the spirit of obedience and were happy in learning it.

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