eternity. It is indeed an awful thing to be a parent, and is enough to awaken the anxious, trembling inquiry in every heart, "Lord, who is sufficient for these things?"

3. Parents should seek after the possession of all possible qualifications for their office.

What man in his senses would undertake the of fice of a pilot upon a dangerous coast, without a knowledge of navigation? Or that of a general of an army, without a knowledge of military tactics? Or that of a physician, without a knowledge of medicine and diseases? And who would go on another hour in the office of a parent, without seeking to possess all suitable qualifications? And what are they?

A kindness of manner, an affectionate, persuasive address, is of great importance. It is desirable for parents to render their company pleasant to their children, to engage their confidence, to exert over them the influence of love, which certainly cannot be done, by a cold, or churlish, or distant behavior. Prudence and good sense are qualities of such inestimable worth, and depend so much upon education, that all who have the care of children, should perpetually exhibit them for imitation. A rash, thoughtless father, a wild romantic mother, do incalculable mischief in a family.

Firmness is essentially requisite in parents; that disposition, which though at the remotest distance from all that is rigid, stern, and cruel, can master its own feelings, and amidst the strongest appeals to the tenderer emotions of the mind, can inflexibly maintain its purpose; and in the way of denying improper requests, or administering correction, can inflict pain on the object of its affection, whenever duty requires such an exercise of beneficial severity. For want of this disposition, of this fine and noble quality, how many have ruined their children for ever by indulgence.

Genuine personal religion: for how can they bring up children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, if they do not know the Lord for themselves? In order to teach religion with any probable effect, we must know it ourselves. That parent will have little ability, and less inclination, to inculcate piety upon his children, who has none himself. A graceless parent is a most awful character! Oh, to see the father and mother of a rising family, with a crowd of young immortals growing up around Varied information and extensive knowledge are them, and teaching irreligion to their offspring, and very desirable. Parents should be able to direct the leading them to perdition by the power of their own studies, to answer the inquiries, to correct the misexample. A sheep leading her twin lambs into the takes, to assist the pursuits, and in short, to superincovert of a hungry tiger, would be a shocking sight, tend the general instruction of their families. but to see parents by their own irreligion, or want Unvarying and inflexible consistency should be exof religion, conducting their family to the bottom-hibited by all whom Providence has placed at the less pit, is most horrible! No one, then, can right-head of a household. They should be not only exly discharge the duties of a parent, in the higher cellent, but consistently excellent. An unbroken reference of the family compact, without that per- uniformity should reign over their whole character. sonal religion, which consists in repentance towards Nothing contradictory, inexplicable, irreconcilable, God, faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and a life of should ever be seen. habitual holiness. In the absence of this, the high- Let all who are likely to become parents, look at est end of the domestic constitution must be ne-this picture, and learn how they are to prepare for glected, the sublimest part of education must be abandoned.

Parents should seek the entire government of their temper; a habit of self-control; a meekness not to be disturbed by the greatest provocation; a patience not to be wearied by long continued opposition. I say to any father or mother, are you irritable, petulant? If so, begin this moment the work of subjugating your temper. You are in imminent peril of ruining your family. A passionate mother or father, is like a fury with a sceptre in one hand, and a fire-brand in the other: and when the king is a fury, the subjects are likely to be furies, too; for nothing is more contagious than bad temper. O, how many parents have had to bewail, with weeping eyes, and almost broken hearts, the effects of their own irritability, as apparent in the headstrong, passionate dispositions of their children. It is against this evil that the admonition of the apostle is directed, "forbearing threatening." Passion blinds the judgment, leads to undue severity, fosters partialities, in short, is the source of a thousand evils in the domestic government. An irritable person can never manage discipline with propriety, but is ever prone to correct, when correction should never be administered-in a rage. Parents, I beseech you to control your temper, and acquire a calm, imperturbable disposition, for this only can fit you to rule your household in wisdom, justice, and love.

A habit of discrimination is a very important qualification in parents; a penetrating insight into character; an acuteness in judging of motives.Such a talent is of immense consequence in the domestic community; and connected with this, a quickness of discerning disposition, together with an inventive and ingenious faculty of adapting treatment to the varieties of character and propensity which are continually exhibiting themselves.

the performance of their duty; and let those who already sustain this relationship, correct their errors and supply their defects by this rule.

4. Parents should settle with themselves what is their chief desire, and highest object of pursuit, in reference to their children.

Without fixing on some end, we shall never, in any course of action, proceed with much steadiness, comfort, or success: and where many ends are, and may be with propriety contemplated and sought, the chief one must be definitely selected, and continually kept in view, or we shall ever be in danger of misapplying our energies. Let parents then, consider the ends which they should propose to themselves, in reference to their children, and decide among all those that are lawful, which is supreme, and which are subordinate. There are many lawful ones out only one of these can be supreme. And what is that? RELIGION. What Christian can for a moment hesitate here? What genuine believer can for a moment question, whether his children's eternal salvation ought to be the supreme solicitude of his heart? If we look to the great bulk of mankind, it is perfectly evident that religion hardly enters into their view; they are very wiling that their children should go to church or to meeting, according as they themselves are church people or dissenters; but as to any anxiety about the religious character, the formation of pious habits, they are as destitute of every thing of this kind, as if religion were a mere fable, or were nothing more than a mere Sabbath day form. Their chief object is, either elegant and fashionable accomplishments, or learning and science, or perhaps prudence and good sense: and provided their sons and daughters excel in these, they never make any inquiry, or feel any anxiety whether they fear God; and would be not only surprised, but would either laugh you to scorn, or scowl upon you with indignation, for proposing

such fanatical or methodistical questions in refer- | portion, the only one which some are able to give ence to their children. Yes, this is the way of the to their children, and which in many cases, has led greater part of parents, even in this religious coun- to every other kind of wealth. In this, however, try. To train them up to shine and make a figure we are to be guided by our rank in life, and circumin society is all they seek. Amazing folly! Dread- stances; and for a laboring man or a small tradesful and murderous cruelty! Degrading and gro- man to impoverish himself in order to procure the velling ambition! To lose sight of the soul, and same kind and degrees of accomplishment for his neglect salvation, and forget immortality! To train children, as a rich man and a nobleman would for them in every kind of knowledge but the know- theirs, is an ambition sanctioned neither by reason ledge of religion; to instruct them in an acquaint- nor revelation. Where it can be accomplished, ance with every kind of subject, but to leave them parents should prefer domestic instruction, to sendin ignorance of God their Creator, their Preservering their children away from home: no school can and Benefactor! To fit them to act their part well possess the advantages which are to be enjoyed unon earth, and to leave them unprepared for heaven! der the eye of a judicious father or mother. But To qualify them to go with respectability and ad- how few are judicious: how few are equal to the vantage through the scenes of time, and then to task of a general superintendence of the business leave them unmeet for the glorious and enduring of instruction; and how few can command the adscenes of eternity! O strange fondness of irreli- vantages of it at home. Let all such be careful in gious parents! O miserable destiny of their hap- the selection of a school, for it is a matter of infinite less offspring! consequence. Let them be guided in their choice, not by a mere regard to accomplishments; not by a view to the best drawing, dancing, music, or Latin master. This is an age of gaudy exterior decoration. But let them first regard religion, then, the real cultivation of the mind, and the formation of good habits. Wherever real piety is inculcated, a thirst for knowledge excited, and habits of application, reflection, sobriety of judgment, and good sense are formed, that is the school to be selected by a wise and Christian parent. No word is more abused than that of EDUCATION, which, in the mind of many, signifies nothing more than the communication of knowledge. But this is only a part, and a small part of education, which, in fact, means the formation of character. A youth may have his head stuffed full of Latin, Greek, mathematics, and natural philosophy; a girl may draw, and dance, and play, and speak French exquisitely, and yet be miserably educated after all. Integrity, good sense, generosity, and a capacity for reflection, are worth all the acquirements which even a university can bestow. Not, however, that these are incompatible with each other; by no means: and the perfection of education is the union of both.

In direct opposition to this, the chief end of every Christian parent, must be the spiritual interests, the religious character, the eternal salvation of his children. Believing that they are sinful and immortal creatures, yet capable of being redeemed through the mediation of Christ, his highest ambition, his most earnest prayer, his most vigorous pursuit, should be engaged for their eternal welfare. His eye, his heart and his hope should be fixed on the same objects for them as they are for himself, and that is upon eternal life. This should be the nature and exercise of his anxiety. "I am desirous, if it please God, that my children should be blessed with the enjoyment of reason, of health, of such a moderate portion of worldly wealth and worldly respectability as is compatible with their station in life: and with a view to this, I will give them all the advantages of a suitable education: but above and beyond this, I far more intensely desire, and far more earnestly pray, and far more anxiously seek, that they may have the fear of God in their hearts, be made partakers of true religion, and be everlastingly saved. And provided God grant me the latter, by bestowing upon them his grace, I shall feel that my chief object is accomplished, and be quite reconciled to any circumstances which may otherwise befall them; for rather would I see them in the humble vale of poverty, if at the same time they were true Christians, than on the very pinnacle of worldly grandeur, but destitute of true piety." Such hould be the views and feelings and desires of a Christian parents; religion should be at the very centre of all their schemes and pursuits for their offspring. This should be the guiding principle, the directing object, the great land-mark by which all heir course should be steered.

3. A due regard to the health of children should be maintained.

Physical education is of no small importance.— Knowledge gained at the expense of health, is purchased at a dreadful expense. And there are other ways of injuring the health of children, besides a too close application to learning, which does indeed, but rarely occur. Fond and foolish mothers should be warned against pampering their appetites with sweets, corrupting their blood with grossness, or impairing the tone of their stomachs with fermented liquors. Infanticide is practised, even in this Christian land, by many who never dream that they are child murderers: they do not kill their babes by strangling or poisoning them; no, but by pamFirst. There are some which relate more direct-pering or stuffing them to death. And where they ly TO THE PRESENT LIFE, AND THE FORMATION OF go not to this extreme, they breed up a circle of

Having nade these preliminary remarks, I go on to enumerate and illustrate the various branches of parental duty.

THE CHARACTER GENERALLY.

gluttons, or drunkards. Nothing can be more dis1. Maintenance is of course a claim which every delicacies of the dinner, and to drink after it the gusting, than to see children invited to eat all the child justly prefers upon his parents, till he is of a health of the company, and with what their young sufficient age to be able to provide for himself. 2. Scholastic instruction is another duty we owe injudicious is it, to make the gratification of the palates ought to be strangers to. And lamentably our children. The dark ages are happily past appetite a reward for good conduct, and to have away, and a flood of light is now poured, and is them ushered into the parlor before they retire to still pouring over all classes of the people. Instruc- rest, to receive the luscious sweet, which is the tion is become general, and even they who are too bribe for their going quietly to bed. The mischief poor to buy knowledge for their children, are not goes beyond the corruption of their health, for it ashamed to beg it in our Sunday and charity schools. brings them up to be governed by appetite, rather No man should suffer his family to be, in this re-than by reason, which is, in fact, the secret cause spect, behind the age in which they live. grudge the money spent in this way, is a cruel and Settle your plans on this subject, and suffer neither To of all the intemperance and profligacy of the world. detestable niggardliness. A good education is aa favorite servant, nor a kind aunt, nor a doating

grandpapa, to come between you and the welfare | lect for a child a business, so much above his fa-. of your children.

to charity; for all this is calculated to disgust them with benevolence.

Great care should be taken, at the same time, not to induce a habit of indiscriminate distribution, which would render them the dupes of hypocrisy, the subjects of imposition, and the victims of extortit a. We should teach them the difference between real benevolence, and that easy good nature, which allows itself to be wheedled out of every thing; between the generosity of a correct judgment, and that of a weak and credulous mind; between principle and mere feeling.

8. Prudence is of vast consequence in the affairs of life. This is, next to piety, the most valuable quality of character. Nothing can be a substitute for it; and it does more for the comfort of its possessor, more for the happiness of society, than any other attribute of mind that can be mentioned.Half the miseries of some persons' lives, who are good people too, arise from a rash, thoughtless, indiscreet mind. They never think before they speak or act: they have no power, or exercise none, of forethought, deliberation, or calculation. Such persons are firebrands without intending it, and commit immense mischief, without, perhaps, a particle of malice. How important, then, that children should be early taught the nature and value of discretion. Many parents most egregiously err on this subject: some are anxious only to communicate knowledge; forgetting that ideas are worth nothing, but as they are discreetly employed to produce happiness.Knowledge has only the materials of comfort; it is wisdom that must put them together into form and consistency. Others almost despise prudence; it is not a classical, a scientific, à poetic quality. It cramps genius, extinguishes taste, prevents the lofty, though somewhat erratic flights of an ardent mind; it is cold and calculating; it has nothing sublime or romantic about it; it never soars into the clouds, or plunges into the depths, but holds on its dull course, on the low level of ordinary concerns. And therefore, just on this very account, it is the very thing that is to be coveted. Foolish, foolish creatures! And so you would have your children geniuses, that disdain the restraints of wisdom; and resemble mere fire works that burn and blaze out only to please others by their brilliancy and splendor, without doing good to any one! O be not so cruel to yourselves, to your children, to society. Teach them to cultivate a deliberative, a reflecting, a calculating judgment; to weigh their words, and measure their actions; enforce upon them a habit of looking onward to the tendency and results of conduct; the calm and regular government of the soul, which leads its possessor to observe true measures, and a suitable decorum in words, and thoughts, and actions. Give them all the learning you can procure for them; I quarrel not with this: but in your own estimation, and in all your conduct towards them, exalt wisdom far above learning, genius, taste, accomplishments; and in this sense of the word, teach them that the price of WISDOM is above rubies.

means, the implanting of right dispositions, the cultivation of the heart, the guidance of the temper, the formation of the character. Or allowing, as we must, that education applies to the whole soul and character, and includes general instruction in knowledge. I should say that its most important part is that which relates to the communication of active principles, and the formation of moral habits. It is TRAINING UP A CHILD IN THE WAY HE SHOULD GO. Not merely the training up a child in the way he should think, or speculate, or translate, or dance, or draw, or argue, but the way in which he should go. Every thing may be taught which can sharpen the faculties, or store the mind with ideas, or culti vate the taste; but we must not stop here, but consider that the highest end of education, is the formation, first of the religious character, and then of the useful, amiable, intelligent, and generous member of the social community.

If this be true, and who will venture to deny it, then is it perfectly manifest, that the great work of education cannot be, and ought not to be, transferred from parents to others. They may purchase that tuition, which their own circumstances may disqualify them from imparting; but the education of the character belongs to them, and cannot be transferred. Here I cannot resist the temptation of introducing a long extract from Mr. Anderson's incomparable work.

"Placed by the all-wise providence of heaven in such a peculiar situation, it will be well for you to keep especially in view, what may be denominated, THE EDUCATION OF CIRCUMSTANCES. Let purchased tuition be carried up to the very highest perfection, and let neither money nor wisdom be spared in reaching this height; of such vital importance in the training of children is that department to which I now refer, that it can, and if neglected will, undermine and undo the whole, as well as render many efforts in educating the disposition altogether abortive. Suffer me to explain my meaning.

"In the laudable anxiety of their hearts, two parents, with a family of infants playing around their feet, are heard to say, 'Oh! what will, what can best educate these dear children?' I reply, 'Look to yourselves and your circumstances.' Maxims and documents are good in themselves, and especially good for the regulation of your conduct and your behavior towards them but with regard to your children, you have yet often to remark, that many maxims are good, precisely till they are tried, or applied, and no longer. In the hands of many parents, they will teach the children to talk, and very often, little more. I do not mean to assert, that sentiments inculcated have no influence; far from it; they have much; though not the most: but still, after all, it is the sentiments you let drop occasionally, it is the conversation they overhear, when playing in the corner of the room, which has more effect than many things which are addressed to them directly in the tone of exhortation. Besides, as to maxims, ever remember, that between those which you bring forward for their use, and those by which you direct your own conduct, children have almost an intuitive discernment; and it is by the latter they will be mainly governed, both during childhood and their future existence.

Now I am anxious to impress upon the mind of all parents, that the inculcation of these dispositions, forms, in fact, the very essence of education. This term, as I have already remarked, and I repeat the sentiment again and again, not by accident "The question however returns, 'What will eduor oversight, but with the design of more deeply cate these children? And now I answer, 'Your impressing it, has been very generally misapplied, example will educate them-your conversation with because, in fact, misunderstood. Education, in mo- your friends-the business they see you transactdern parlance, means nothing more than instruction, the likings and dislikings you express-these will or the communication of knowledge to the mind; educate them; the society you live in will educate and a good education means, the opportunity of ac-them-your domestics will educate them: and whatquiring all kinds of learning, science, and what are called accomplishments. But properly speaking, education in the true and higher import of the term,

ever be your rank or situation in life, your house, your table, and your daily behavior, these, these will educate them. To withdraw them from the

unceasing and potent influence of these things is in the knowledge of what is good or evil. The impossible, except you were to withdraw yourself occupations of the poor man at his labor, and of the from them also. Some parents. talk of beginning man of business in his counting-house, cannot inthe education of their children; the moment they terrupt this education. In both instances, the mowere capable of forming an idea, their education ther is plying at her uninterrupted avocations, and was already begun-the education of circumstances her example is powerfully operating every hour; -insensible education, which, like insensible per- while at certain intervals daily, as well as every spiration, is of more constant and powerful effect, morning and evening, all things come under the and of far more consequence to the habit, than that potent sway of the father or the master, whether which is direct and apparent. This education goes that influence be good or bad. Here, then, is one on at every instant of time; it goes on like time-school from which there are no truants, and in you can neither stop it nor turn its course. What- which there are no holidays. ever these, then, have a tendency to make your children, that, in a great degree, you at least should be persuaded they will be.'