This little work pleads for the notice of parents and teachers on the
same grounds as its predecessor, "Near Home."
Its plea is not completeness, nor comprehensiveness, nor depth of
research, nor splendor of description; but the very reverse,--its simple,
superficial, desultory character, as better adapted to the volatile
beings for whom it is designed.
Too long have their immortal minds been captivated by the adventures and
achievements of knights and princesses, of fairies and magicians; it is
time to excite their interest in real persons, and real events. In
childhood that taste is formed which leads the youth to delight in
novels, and romances; a taste which has become so general, that every
town has its circulating library, and every shelf in that library is
filled with works of fiction.
While these fascinating inventions are in course of perusal, many a Bible
is unopened, or if opened, hastily skimmed; many a seat in church is
unoccupied, or if occupied, the service, and the sermon disregarded--so
intense is the sympathy of the novel reader with his hero, or his
heroine.
And what is the effect of the perusal? Many a young mind, inflated with a
desire for admiration and adventure, grows tired of home, impatient of
restraint, indifferent to simple pleasures, and averse to sacred
instructions. How important, therefore, early to endeavor to prevent a
taste for FICTION, by cherishing a taste for FACTS.
But this is not the only aim of the present work; it seeks also to excite
an interest in _those_ facts which ought _most_ to interest immortal
beings--facts relative to souls, and their eternal happiness--to God, and
his infinite glory.
These are the facts which engage the attention of the inhabitants of
heaven. We know not whether the births of princes, and the coronations of
monarchs are noticed by the angelic hosts; but we do know that the
repentance of a sinner, be he Hindoo or Hottentot, is celebrated by their
melodious voices in rapturous symphonies.
Therefore "Far Off" desire to interest its little readers in the labors
of missionaries,--men despised and maligned by the world, but honored and
beloved by the SAVIOUR of the world. An account of the scenery and
natives of various countries, is calculated to prepare the young mind for
reading with intelligence those little Missionary Magazines, which appear
every month, written in so attractive a style, and adorned with such
beautiful illustrations. Parents have no longer reason to complain of the
difficulty of finding sacred entertainment for their children on Sunday,
for these pleasing messengers,--if carefully dealt out,--one or two on
each Sabbath, would afford a never failing supply.
To form great and good characters, the mind must be trained to delight in
TRUTH,--not in comic rhymes, in sentimental tales, and skeptical poetry.
The truth revealed in God's Holy Word, should constitute the firm basis
of education; and the works of Creation and Providence the superstructure
while the Divine blessing can alone rear and cement the edifice.
Parents, train up your children to serve God, and to enjoy his presence
forever; and if there be amongst them--an EXTRAORDINARY child, train him
up with extraordinary care, lest instead of doing extraordinary _good_ he
should do extraordinary _evil_, and be plunged into extraordinary misery.
Train up--the child of imagination--not to dazzle, like Byron, but to
enlighten, like Cowper: the child of wit--not to create profane mirth,
like Voltaire, but to promote holy joy, like Bunyan: the child of
reflection--not to weave dangerous sophistries, like Hume, but to wield
powerful arguments, like Chalmers: the child of sagacity--not to gain
advantages for himself, like Cromwell, but for his country, like
Washington: the child of eloquence--not to astonish the multitude, like
Sheridan, but to plead for the miserable, like Wilberforce: the child of
ardor--not to be the herald of delusions, like Swedenbourg, but to be the
champion of truth, like Luther: the child of enterprise--not to devastate
a Continent, like the conquering Napoleon, but to scatter blessings over
an Ocean, like the missionary Williams:--and, if the child be a
prince,--train him up--not to reign in pomp and pride like the fourteenth
Louis, but to rule in the fear of God, like our own great ALFRED.