Reason, as well as faith, will
dictate such a choice; for
"There is wisdom in calling a thing fitly; names should note particulars
Through a character obvious to all men, and worthy of their instant
acceptation."
Our name is the first and the last possession at our disposal. It
determines from the days of childhood our inclinations. It employs our
attention through life, and even transports us beyond the grave. Hence we
should give appropriate names to our children,--such as will interest them,
and neither be a reproach, on the one hand, nor reach to unattainable and
unworthy heights, on the other; for the mind of your child will take a
bias, from its name, to good or to evil.
Why not adopt scriptural names for them? Are they not as beautiful as other
names? They are. And is not their influence as salutary? It is. And are
they not more suitable for the Christian home than any other? They are.
Where is there a more lovely name than Mary,--lovely in its utterance, and
thrice lovely in the glowing memories which cluster around it, and in the
hallowed home-associations it awakens in the Christian heart, drawing us at
once to the feet of Jesus, where a Mary sat in confiding pupilage, and
sealed her instructions and gratitude with the tear-drop that glowed like
early dew upon her dimpled cheek? Would Christian parents desire to give
their children more beautiful names,--beautiful in the light of history and
of heaven,--than that of Benjamin, "son of the right hand;" of David,
"dear, beloved;" of Dionysius, "divinely touched;" of Eleazar, "help of
God;" of Eli, "my offering;" of Enoch, "dedicated;" of Jacob, "my present;"
of Lemuel, "God is with them;" of Nathan, "given, gift;" of Nathaniel,
"gift of God;" of Samuel, "asked of God and sent of God," &c.
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