in the orchard

A mom in our group alerted me to a beautiful book about mothers as teachers written in 1838--Letters to Mothers by Lydia Sigourney. I'm going to go back and spend more time, but this quote struck me:

"...no universal agent of civilization exists, but through mothers. Nature has placed in their hands, our infancy and youth. I have been among the first to declare the necessity of making them, by improved education, capable of fulfilling their natural mission.

"The love of God and man, is the basis of this system. In proportion as it prevails, national enmities will disappear, prejudices become extinguished, civilization spread itself far and wide,--one great people cover the earth, and the reign of God be established. This is to be hastened, by the watchful care of mothers over their offspring, from the cradle upwards."

​Art credit: In the Orchard by Evert Pieters (artrenewal.org)

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