Have you ever thought how it is that in the prayer we call our Lord's,
God is spoken of as Father? Do you not see that your child calls you by
one of the names--the Christ-chosen name of the Devine Being? Is there
not a sermon in that to everyone of us who has children of his own?
Perhaps you have never given the matter a thought that for some of the
early years of you children you may be giving them a caricature of God in
your ungodly conduct. Let us lay this to heart, and strive, by God-like
actions, to teach our little ones what God is like. By long suffering
and gentleness towards ignorance and weakness;--by stern denunciation, in
life as well as word, of everything that is mean and deceitful;--by
delighting in mercy, and readiness to give to those who need, to our
children, "Our Father," may become a stepping stone to the knowledge of
God.