Chapter IV: Truth. 2

Last meeting we found that it is useless to enforce the necessity of truth, unless the mother is consistent in her _example_. Besides this:

II. Enforce it by instruction and by precept.

Tell—how God hates lying. Prov. vi. 16, 17; xii. 22.

Tell—histories from Scripture to show how God hates it. Satan, Gen.
iii. 4. Gehazi, 2 Kings, v. 25. Ananias, Acts, v. 1–11.

Tell—who is the father of lies. John, viii. 44.

Tell—the consequences of lying. Ps. v. 6; lv. 23. Rev. xxi. 8.

III. Avoid severity.

Children are often frightened into deceit by fear of their parents’
severity.

IV. Do not put temptations to lie in a child’s way.

Do not encourage them to conceal anything from their father,
schoolmaster, master, or mistress, if in service.

V. Correct for a lie.

It is a false love which dispenses with a needful chastisement. Prov.
xiii. 24; xix. 18.

But always with prayer.

VI. Let the child see that you are grieved for his sin. That it gives you _sorrow_, not only causes _anger_. Ps. cxix. 158.

VII. Make it a subject of prayer with your child that the way of lying may be removed from him. Ps. cxix. 29. Prov. xxx. 8.