Even though the morning air is cold, the sun is shining, and it looks like it will be a beautiful day.

An old gentleman is seen walking down the street, then he stops momentarily and sits down on the bench in the small park across the street from the post office.

As he pulls off his gloves, he starts to examine the mail he had in his hand. Then a young man approached him, and said: "Well, Uncle Ed, how are you this morning?"

Ed: Well fine. I was enjoying this sunshine, after a cold night. How has it been with you, Brother Tom?

Tom: Oh, fine. I have just been visiting some of the church people, and was just getting ready to go to your house.

Ed: Well, that's fine. I am always glad to see you. Things get pretty quiet around my place during the week. What do you know?

Tom: Oh, not much. One matter I was worrying about. I used for a subject at church last Sunday, where we are taught to train up our children in the way of the Lord, and when they grow old they will not depart from them. Do you remember that scripture?

Ed: Sure, and it is a good thing I would have enjoyed hearing your sermon. Good liberty?

Tom: Oh, I don't know. I felt like I handled the subject pretty well, but after church a brother was talking to me, and he has me disturbed about it.

Ed: Well, well, tell me about it.

Tom: This brother said he did not understand the scripture. He knew how it read, and he listened to me, but he said he had brought his children up in the church, taught them the true principles, he thought, and all of them were members of the church, but one of his boys became cold, married a girl of another church, and now he has left the church, and joined in with his wife, and seems not to care for the church anymore.

Ed: I see. But I don't see what this has to do with the scripture you mentioned.

Tom: Don't you see, he was fine when he was a child, but as he grew older he departed from the church and its teachings. This is what has his father disturbed.

Ed: Don't tell me. How old is this son anyway?

Tom: About 22 or 23 years of age.

Ed: Now, that's great. I am crowding 80. Since when is a person barely out of his teens to be classed as being old?

Tom: Oh, I never thought of it that way.

Ed: Well, you better start thinking that way. Don't you think?

Tom: I guess you are right.

Ed: I could give you many instances of people, who were brought up in the atmosphere of the church, and left after growing up. But these true principles were moved away back in their minds, to be kept and nourished, sometimes almost unconsciously. I know one man like this, and after he was past 70 his doctor told him that whatever he planned to do he better get done, because his days were numbered. And, do you know, one of the things he wanted was to return to the old home church, and be baptized, and die in the church.

I could recall accounts of many more people like this.

A true principle instilled in the mind of a child will never leave. They may be shoved back for years and years, but at the right time, they will be remembered.

Tom: Thank you, you have helped me. I will be seeing you again soon.

Article from The Banner of Love