The writer, in the preceding part, has presented a mode of religious training adapted to schools composed of children whose parents are of different sects.

There is one modification of this mode, which the writer wishes to present to that class of parents who not only believe in the Supreme Divinity of Jesus Christ, but are in a habit of addressing their worship to Him distinctively; believing that this is the way in which we have access to God the Father, who is worshipped as dwelling in Jesus Christ. Such suppose that the Bible sanctions alike the mode of addressing Jesus Christ distinctively, and also the Father distinctively, and that we can pray in either mode with acceptance.

It is believed that parents who hold this view will find great aid in the religious training of their children by adopting this method.

In commencing instructions from the Bible, let the first lesson consist of such texts as the following:

“Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.”

“And his name is called the Word of God.”

“All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that is made.”

“In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.”

“By Him were all things created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all things were created by Him and for Him, and He is before all things, and by Him all things consist. Every house is builded by some man, but He that built all things is God.”

Having thus fixed in the child’s mind that the Creator of the world is Jesus Christ, and that the terms Jesus Christ, God, Jehovah, and the Lord, are different names for the same person, then let all the Bible history in the Old Testament be read with the understanding that the being spoken of through the whole of it is Jesus Christ. If any one has doubts on this point, let him read President Edwards’s work on the History of Redemption, and let him also collate all the passages in which God appeared to the ancient patriarchs and prophets, and it will be clear that there was a Jehovah who sent, and a Jehovah who was the messenger, and that this last was Jesus Christ, and the one who always appeared to the patriarchs.

The advantage of this mode of commencing religious instructions is, that it presents to the mind of a child a Being who can be clearly conceived of, and a character which is drawn out in all those tender and endearing exhibitions that a child can understand and appreciate. It thus is rendered easy for parents to obey the words of the Saviour, who, when his mistaken disciples would have driven them afar off, said, “Suffer the little children to come unto me.”

If a child is taught, from the first, to pray to Jesus Christ, all that perplexity, doubt, and difficulty which many feel in regard to Jesus Christ and the place he is to hold in their devotions will be escaped. Then, if they feel any doubts as to whether they understand correctly about the Father, and whether they are required to worship him distinctively, these doubts will easily be removed by these words of Christ.

“He that hath seen me hath seen the Father. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father. I am in the Father, and the Father in me. The Father dwelleth in me. Believe me, I am in the Father, and the Father in me. And whatsoever ye ask in my name, that will I do; that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye ask anything in my name, I will do it.”

The writer has seen a family of four children, the youngest four and the eldest not nine, where the mother, who pursued this course, remarked that these children seemed to be aided in overcoming faults, and strengthened in doing right, by love to the Saviour, just as true Christians are; and that if they continued their present habits of feeling and conduct, she should not know where to date the time when they became pious.

There is also a mode of practical teaching in regard to right and wrong, sin and holiness, which tends much to aid a child’s right apprehension of truth.

Let the child be taught that Jesus Christ created all his creatures for the purpose of making them good and happy; that it is not possible for any one to be perfectly good and happy, unless he has such a character as Jesus Christ, and that the nearer we come to possessing such a character, the better and happier we are. Then set forth the character and example of Christ, as a perfectly benevolent and self-denying being, living not to gratify himself, but to do good to others. Show the child that he has not such a character, that he is living to please himself, and not to do good, and that this is selfishness and sin. Set before him the misery to which selfishness leads, and the consequences of it, both here and hereafter.

Teach the child that the great business of life, to us all, is, by the aid of God’s Spirit, to change our characters, in order to become like Christ; that it is a difficult work, and one that we can never accomplish without this aid from God.

Show him that all the commands of Christ are designed to keep us from doing what will injure ourselves or injure others, and that these rules are so many and so strict, that no one ever will, in this life, perfectly obey them all.

Teach him that the true children of Jesus Christ are those who love him, and who earnestly are striving to obey all his commands.

Set before the child the command of Christ, “Deny thyself daily, and take up thy cross and follow me,” and then teach and encourage him every day to practise some self-denial in doing good.

Teach him that the more he practises this self-denial for the good of others, the more he becomes like Jesus Christ, and that the duty will become easier and pleasanter, the more he practises it.

Inquire daily, especially at the close of the day, whether the child has practised any self-denial in doing good during the day, and express satisfaction at any success.

Teach the child to pray for help to overcome selfishness, and to give thanks for Divine aid when he has performed any act of benevolent self-denial.

If any tendency to self-righteousness and self-complacency is discovered, point out his various deficiencies, or overt sins, and teach him daily to observe and confess to God his faults.

Teach him that heaven is a world where all are perfectly free from selfishness, and that those, who are selfish, could not be happy there, and will never find admittance until they become like Jesus Christ. Teach him that this life is designed as a world of trial and discipline, to free us from selfishness, and thus prepare us for heaven.

This mode, in connexion with others suggested in the previous part, if faithfully pursued, would produce results such as seldom have been seen.

These views are presented, not to oppose the views and opinions of others, but simply to induce those who hold them to act consistently with their belief.