chance, but regulated by fixed laws; there is a time | Sampson moved for his parents' consent. The sim

plicity of that age has departed, and in the advance of society, more of the power of selection now vests in the children; but it should not be exercised independently of parental advice. An old divine said thus to his sons: 'When you are youths, choose your callings, when men, choose your wives, only take me along with you: it may be, old men see farther than you." Another ancient writer has this remark: "It may be considered, that parents, who brought forth and bred up their children, should by no means be bereft of them without their consent; and since they are so much their goods and possessions, it were a kind of purloining to give themselves away without their parents' leave." And on this subject, a heathen may teach many who pro

to form a connection with a particular individual, replied, "I like the lady, her dowry, and family, but I must have these agree with my parents' will, and then I will marry her."

for every thing and every thing in its time; a place for every thing and every thing in its place. Meals, prayer, going to bed, and rising in the morning, are all in their appointed season. To these rules it is the obvious duty of every branch of the family to submit. The sons and daughters may be growing up, or arrived at full age; this matters not, they must submit to the law of the house, and their age is an additional reason for their submission, as it supposes a maturity of judgment, which enables them to perceive more clearly the grounds of all moral obligation. They may think the rules too strict; but if the parent has enacted them, they should be in subjection, and that as long as they continue members of the little community, though it be almost to old age. It is for the parents to de-fess to be Christians; for Cyrus, on being invited cide also what visiters shall be brought to the house; and it is in the highest degree unbecoming for a child to introduce, or even wish or attempt to introduce, any companion contrary to the known will of a parent. The same remark will apply to recreations; parents must determine this point: and no child that has the proper feelings of a child, would desire to set up any amusements that the taste, and especially that the conscience of a father or mother forbids. Instances have occurred of young people inviting such friends, and joining with them in such diversions, in the absence of their parents, as they know to be decidedly contrary to the law of the house. This is such an act of base and wicked rebellion against parental authority, and such an unprincipled disregard to parental comfort, as language is too weak to characterize. Even the books which are brought into the house must be in accordance with the domestic rule. If the parent forbid the introduction of novels, romances, or any other books, a child in most cases should forego his own predilections, and yield to an authority which he cannot resist without opposing the institute of nature and religion.

5. It is the duty of children TO CONSULT THEIR

PARENTS.

6. IMITATE THE GOOD EXAMPLE of your parents. I say their good example, for if they unhappily set you a bad one, it is at the peril of your soul that you follow it. It was a noble answer which Frederick IV., Elector Palatine of the Rhine, returned to the prince, who advised him to follow the example of his father Lewis:-" In the business of religion we must follow the example of parents and ancestors, only so far as they are agreeable to the will of God." Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, when he came to the throne of Imperial Rome, publicly expressed his determination not to follow the usual conduct of the Cæsars, but to act as a disciple of the pious Antonine, and to act, and speak, and think, as his foster father did. Survey the conduct of your parents; let their failings be thrown back in shadow, their excellences brought out in full relief. Where they are truly pious, be followers of their religious character. You bear the likeness of their bodies, receive also the impress of their minds. Seek to catch the family feature of their piety. A wicked child of godly parents, is the most awful character upon They are the guides of your youth, your natural earth. With what horror do I look upon such an counsellors, the family oracle, which you are ever one! That he should swear, who was taught to to consult, and the responses of which are to be re- pray! That he should violate the Sabbath, who was ceived with pious reverence. Even if you have just led up, from his infantine days, to the house of God! reason to suspect the solidity and penetration of That he should despise religion, who has ever seen their judgment, it is due to the relation in which its beautiful form, in the example of a godly father, you stand to them, to undertake nothing without and a pious mother! That he should be a friend of laying the matter before them, and obtaining their profane and unclean persons, who from a child has opinion. How much more ready should you be to been the companion of saints! Shocking spectacle! do this, where you have every reason to confide in But even where there may be no actual irreligion, their wisdom. You are young and inexperienced; there is oftentimes a want of true religion: and the path of life is, in a considerable degree, untrod this also, is distressing. What an aggravation is it den by you, and contingencies are perpetually aris-to the sin of being without piety, to have lived all ing, which you have yet acquired no experience to the earlier part of life, with an example of true godunderstand, and to turn to account. They have liness before our eyes! This is a dreadful and actravelled the road, and know its turnings, its dan-ual resistance of the most alluring means which gers, and its difficulties. Go to your parents, then, heaven ever employs for the conversion of a sinner. with every affair; consult them on the subject of It is a resolute determination to neglect and forget companions, books, recreations. Let a father's and religion, in spite of an interesting and powerful mea mother's ear be the receptacle of all your cares.-morial of it constantly before our eyes. What a Have no secrets which you conceal from them.-meeting will such children have with their parents Especially consult with them on the subjects of trade at the last day! and marriage. On the former, you perhaps need their pecuniary assistance, and how can you expect this if you take not their advice, as to the best way of employing their property. As to marriage, I need not repeat at any length what I have already said on this subject. The Scripturé has furnished us with many fine instances of the deference paid, in patriarchal times, by children to their parents.Isaac and Jacob both appear to have left the selection of their wives to their parents. Ruth, though a daughter-in-law, was willing to be guided entirely by Naomi. Ishmael asked his mother's advice, and

7. The last duty I shall mention, is KINDNESS, This should extend through the whole of your deportment, but there are several cases in which it will have a more enlarged opportunity for displaying its beauty, and exerting its energy.

When parents are greatly inferior in talents and acquirements, it is a fine occasion for the exercise of filial piety. We know instances in which the father and mother are lamentably deficient, not only in information, but in judgment: their weakness is manifest to all, and cannot be concealed from their family; by whom, indeed, the sad effects of their

imbecility, are daily felt and deplored. Here then is an opportunity for a display of noble and exalted kindness, on the part of children. Young people, if you are placed in such circumstances, endeavor constantly to remember, that notwithstanding all their weakness, they are your parents still, and hold a parent's claim. Never, never, taunt them with their defects, for this is cruelty in the extreme; but on the contrary, strive to the uttermost to prevent them from suffering any painful consciousness of their inferiority. Do not laugh at their mistakes, nor ever suffer yourselves so to expose or to correct them, as to wound their feelings. If they are obstinate, yield to them; if irritable, bear with them: and when they show their incapacity for governing with wisdom, instead of snatching the sceptre from their hand, insensibly assist them to wield it with greater propriety. It is a beautiful sight, to behold a fine, intelligent, strong-minded son or daughter, straining every nerve, and employing every faculty, to endure and conceal the faults of such a parent, and to throw an air of respectability over one, that has no respectability of his own.

him not to so high an eminence, as that which he occupied, when he stood before the monarch with the patriarch of Canaan leaning on his arm. Never be ashamed of your parents then, because of their poverty.

Let your kindness operate in the way of affording them all things necessary for their comfort. The author of the Eneid has denominated his hero the pious Eneas, because of the heroic manner in which he bore his decrepid father from the flames of Troy. Two inhabitants of Sicily obtained a celebrity in ancient story for their kindness to their aged parents in carrying them upon their shoulders from an eruption of Mount Etna. Mr.

We have another instance of modern times. Robert Tillotson went up to London on a visit to his son, then Dean of Canterbury, and being in the dress of a plain countryman was insulted by one of the Dean's servants for inquiring if John Tillotson was at home. His person however, being described to the Dean, he immediately exclaimed, "It is my worthy father;" and running down to the door to receive him, he fell down upon his knees, in the presence of his servants, to ask his father's blessing.

And how has the poet, the historian and the painter, loved to exhibit that beautiful picture of filial piety, first given by Pliny, of a daughter, who, when her mother was condemned to be starved to death, obtained leave from the keeper to visit the prison daily, and there nourished her parent from her own breast. A similar occurrence took place afterwards, in which a daughter nourished her father in the same manner; the action was considered so striking, that it obtained the honorable appellation of The Roman charity. The senate decreed that the father should be restored to his child, and that on the spot where the prison stood, a temple should be erected to FILIAL PIETY.

There are however few instances of more touching kindness to parents, than that mentioned by Mr. Bruce in his Juvenile Anecdotes.

ing before his departure, a YOUNG MAN of the most engaging aspect made his appearance, and desired to be enlisted into his company. His air at once indicated a well cultivated mind, and commanded respect.

"There is often, especially in the middle classes of life, as great a difference of mental culture in the parents and the child, as if they had lived at the distance of many centuries. The wealth that has been acquired by patient industry, or some fortunate adventure, may be employed in diffusing all the refinements of science and literature to the children of those to whom the very words, science and literature, are words of which they would scarcely be able, even with the help of a dictionary, to understand the meaning. In a rank of life still lower, there are not wanting many meritorious individuals, who, uninstructed themselves, labor indefatigably to obtain the means of liberal instruction for one, whose wisdom in after years, when he is to astonish the village, may gratify at once their ambition and love. It would indeed, be painful to think, that any one, whose superiority of knowledge has cost his parents so much fatigue, and so many privations of An officer, having remained some time at Kingcomforts, which, but for the expense of the means ston, in Surrey, for the purpose of raising recruits, of his acquired superiority, they might have enjoy-received orders to join his regiment. On the evened, should turn against them, in his own mind, the acquirements which were to them of so costly a purchase, despising them for the very ignorance which gave greater merit to their sacrifice, and proud of a wisdom far less noble, when it can thus feel contempt, than the humble ignorance which it despises." Kindness will show itself in generous attention to POOR parents. In the revolutions of this world, and by the vicissitudes of human affairs, many children have left their parents behind them in the humble vale of poverty and some have lost their filial piety in the ascent. Few more shocking scenes can be presented to a feeling mind, than a rich son or daughter ashamed of, and unkind to, his pour father or mother. Such wretches deserve the fate of the proud monarch of Babylon, and would have no more than their desert if they were driven from the company of men to herd with beasts, to which they are more allied in disposition than to human beings. How beautiful a scene, the very opposite of that which I have just considered, was exhibited in the palace of Pharaoh, when Joseph, then the prime minister of the state, led in a poor old shepherd to the presence of the king, and before all the lords of the Egyptian court, introduced the decrepid and care worn pilgrim as his father. Who, after looking at this, will ever be ashamed of a parent because he is clad in the garb of poverty. What a halo of glory did that one act draw round the honored brow of Joseph: the lustre of the golden chain that hung from his neck was dim compared with the brightness of this action, and the chariot in which he rode with almost imperial pomp before the people, raised

"He betrayed, however, evident marks of pertur bation, and was greatly embarrassed; the officer asked the cause of it: 'I tremble,' said he, lest you should deny my request.' Whilst he was speaking, the tears rolled down his cheeks. 'No,' answered the officer, 'I accept your offer most heartily; but why should you imagine a refusal?' 'Because the bounty which I expect may perhaps be too high.'How much then do you demand?' said the officer. It is no unworthy motive, but an urgent claim that compels me to ask ten guineas; and 1 shall be the most miserable of mankind it you refuse me.' 'Ten guineas!' said the officer, 'that indeed is very high; but I am pleased with you: I trust to your honor for the discharge of your duty, and will strike the bargain at once. Here are ten guineas; to-morrow we depart,'

"The young man, overwhelmed with joy, begged permission to return home, to perform a sacred duty, and promised to be back within an hour. The offi cer, impressed by the honesty of his countenance. yielded to his desire; but observing something mys terious in his marner, he was induced, by curiosity, to follow him at some distance. He saw him has tening towards the town prison, where he knocked and was admitted. The officer quickened his pace: and when he came to the door of the prison, he overheard the young man say to the jailer: 'Here is the

money for which my father is imprisoned; I put it | sacrifices to comfort a sick parent. Aspire to the chainto your hands, and I request you will conduct me to him immediately that I may release him from his misery.' The jailer did as he requested. "The officer delayed a few minutes, that the young man might have an opportunity of being alone with his father; he then followed him.What a scene! he saw the son in the arms of a venerable and aged father, who, without uttering a word, pressed him to his heart, and bedewed him with tears. A few minutes passed before he observed the officer, who, deeply affected, approached them, and said to the old man, Compose yourself; I will not deprive you of so worthy a son. Permit me to restore him to you, that I may not regret the money which he has employed in so virtuous a manner.'

racter of being a ministering angel to a father or mother. Let them see that you account it no hardship, but a felicity to wait upon them. It is in your pow er to alleviate or aggravate to an inconceivable degree their sufferings, according as you are kind of unkind. Covet the testimony which many a one has received, when the sufferer has said with tears in her eyes, "tha: dear child is my companion, my friend, my nurse, and all my earthly delight." Ŏ what is the concord of sweet sounds at the concert, what the gay and glittering attractions of the ball room, what the dazzling scenes of the theatre, or to come to more lawful enjoyments, what the exhilaration of the public meeting, compared with the consciousness of having smoothed the bed of sickness, and alleviated the sufferings of disease, for "The father and son fell upon their knees at his an afflicted parent. If the conscience of any that feet. The young man refused, at first, to accept of shall read these pages shall reproach them for nehis proffered freedom; but the worthy officer insist-glect; if they know that they have heard their paed that he should remain with his father. He ac- rents mildly reprove them for their want of sympacompanied them both from the prison, and took his thy, let them consider what must be the anguish of leave with the pleasing reflection of having contri- those parents' hearts, who have to say in the bitterbuted to the happiness of a worthy son and an un-ness of their soul, to their own children," Is it no

fortunate father."

What mind is not enamored, what heart is not affected, by such touching instances of filial kindness? And what child is not ready to exclaim, "O my father, my mother, I will share with you my last crust, and feel at once, both honored and happy, to return upon you in your old age, the kindness you bestowed upon me in my youth, my childhood and infancy."

thing to you, all ye that pass by, come see if there was ever sorrow like unto my sorrow," and who, disappointed in the hope of tenderness from their own offspring, turn for help to their neighbors; and taking up the piteous complaint of Job, say, "Pity me, pity me, O my friends, for the hand of God hath touched me." Unfeeling youth, your neglect will one day find you out, and at some future time may be, perhaps, returned upon you, by the cruel conduct of your own children.

Kindness will often be put to a severe test, by the bad temper or the stern and tyrannical government of parents. It is difficult, I know, to be kind to those who are unkind to us: but it is our duty in all cases, much more to a parent. Nothing must allow you to be otherwise than the dutiful, affectionate child. No ebullitions of passion, no manifestation of unreasonable discontent, no caprice, no unmerited reproach on their part, should throw you off your guard. It may be sometimes necessary to remonstrate, but never can be proper to return railing for railing. Kindness may do more, in such circumstances, to soften and remove the evil, than angry resistance;-"A soft answer turneth away wrath."

Kindness will manifest itself by affectionate attention and tender sympathy, in their sickness. I do not know where in all our world, to find a lovelier, holier, sweeter scene, than that of a pious and affectionate daughter, devoting her time, and strength, and inventive assiduities to the comfort of a mother or a father, confined for years to the room and the bed of sickness. Such children I have known, and ineffably admired; who at an age when there is usually a taste and capacity for the pleasures of society, have abstracted themselves from all company, to be the constant, and almost sole companion of that dear sufferer, to alleviate whose sorrows, was their only happiness. Scarcely have they permitted themselves to walk abroad and enjoy the scenes of nature, even to recruit their wasting strength and prepare for fresh activities in the sick cham- "Lovely as virtue is," says Dr. Brown, " in all ber, lest in their absence a pang should be felt which its forms, there is no form in which it is more lovenone could so well mitigate as they, or a want en- ly, than in this tender ministry of offices of kinddured which they could best supply. I knew one ness; where the kindness, perhaps, is scarcely felt, such, who, had a sick father lived much longer, or considered less as kindness, than as the duty would have preceded him to the grave, and died a which might have been fairly demanded, and which martyr to filial piety. Nothing could ever tempt there is no merit, therefore, in having paid. Though her away from his side by day, and not often did a we have often the gratification of seeing, in the night pass without her stealing quietly to his cham-progress of life, many beautiful examples of age, ber door, at which, unconscious of the frost which that is not more venerable for its past virtues, than was assailing her delicate frame, she stood listen- amiable, with a lasting and still increasing gentleing to ascertain if all was still, not daring to enter, ness, which softens the veneration indeed, but auglest she should disturb that slumber which perhaps ments it even while it softens it, it is not always he was enjoying. I remember in another case, vi- that the last years of life present to us this delightsiting a cottage, in which a sick man lay dying, ful aspect; and when the temper is, in these last who had been long ill; his wife was ministering to years, unfortunately clouded,-when there is no his comfort, and in one corner of the room, there smile of kindness in the faded eye, that grows bright was a girl of twelve years of age busily employed again for moments only when there is fretfulness at her needle. On my asking how they were sup- in the heart,-when the voice that is feeble, only in ported in their affliction, the mother replied, "prin- the utterance of grateful regard, is still sometimes cipally, sir, by that child's work; she is up every loud with tones of a very different expression,-the morning at four o'clock, and is diligently employed kindness, which, in its unremitting attention, never till late at night; she cheerfully bears all this labor, shows by a word or look, the sadness that is felt on and gives its produce to sustain us." Young people, these undeserved reproaches, and that regards them read and ponder these interesting details, and imi- only as proofs of a weakness that requires still more tate these beautiful examples. Put forth all your to be comforted, is a kindness which virtue alone tenderness, shrink from no self-denia!, endure, not can inspire and animate, but which, in the bosom only without murmuring but with cheerfulness, any that is capable of it, virtue must already have well

rewarded. How delightful is the spectacle, when amid all the temptations of youth and beauty, we witness some gentle heart, that gives to the couch of the feeble, and perhaps, of the thankless and re-ing testimony and promise of the Lord:-" Thus pining, those hours, which others find too short for the successive gaieties with which an evening can be filled, and that prefers to the smile of universal admiration, the single smile of enjoyment, which, after many vain efforts, has at last been kindled on one solitary cheek!"

tary filial obedience, perpetuated through a period, which in the time of that prophet, had lasted three centuries, and which was rewarded by the followsaith Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel; because ye have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab, your father, and kept all his precepts, and done according to all that he hath commanded you; therefore, thus saith Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel; Jonadab, the son of Rechab, shall not want a man Another circumstance remains to be mentioned, to stand before me for ever." If we come forward which will render it extremely difficult, sometimes, to the New Testament, we find it again and again to be at once obedient to God, and to your parent; brought into view. We see it embodied and endifficult to manifest all the kindness which they forced in the example of Christ; of whom it is may expect, and at the same time, to regard the said, Jesus went down and was subject unto his dictates of conscience; I mean, where the children parents. Yes, in the matchless constellation of are pious, and the parents are still in an unconverted perfect moral excellences that formed his characstate. This is no uncommon case, and always a ter, and are presented for our admiration and imitrying one wherever it occurs. Those who are tation, one bright and beauteous star is filial piety. placed in such a situation, need much wisdom and Fix, young people, your eye upon that star, so much grace to conduct themselves with propriety, mildiy beaming, and so radiantly shining, as an so as to give no unnecessary pain to their parents, example for you. That wonderful personage, GoD and yet at the same time, to maintain their consist- MANIFEST IN THE FLESH, was subject, we have reason ency as Christians. To young persons in such cir- to believe, to his parents, till at the age of thirty, cumstances, I say, let there be deep and unaffected he entered upon his public ministry; and those pahumility, no spiritual pride, no apparent conscious- rents, be it remembered, were a poor but pious couness of moral superiority, no saying, "stand by, I ple, who earned their daily bread by the sweat of am holier than thou;" nothing approaching in the their brow. With them he dwelt in their humble most distant manner to contempt of your parents, abode, and labored, in all probability, for their supon account of their state. When it is necessary, port. And even amidst the agonies of the cross, as it sometimes may be, to oppose their wishes, and neither his own personal sufferings, nor the subrefuse their requests, because they interfere with lime and glorious scenes connected with the reyour duty to God, let your dissent not assume the demption of a world, abstracted his thoughts and shape of disobedience to them, let it be expressed solicitude from the mother of his human nature; in a mild and respectful manner, and be made ob- and even then did filial piety shine forth, a bright viously to appear to be the result of conscientious speck still visible upon the orb of glory, which was motives, and not of caprice, or any want of right rising upon the world. The apostles enforced it by feeling towards them. In all other things, in which various commendations. "Children, obey your pareligion is not concerned, let there be additional ef-rents," says Paul in one place, "for it is right;" a fort and ingenuity to please them, so that they may thing not obligatory merely because it is commandhave nothing against you, but as touching the law ed, but commanded because it is right; not a mere of your God. It may be sometimes necessary for positive institute, but wholly moral; a duty enjoinyou to express the solicitude which you ought al-ed not only by revelation, but by reason; one of ways to feel for their spiritual welfare; you must then be careful to avoid the appearance of dictation, lecturing, and reproach, and address yourselves to them in a humble and prudent manner. You should put suitable books in their way, and if they are not in the habit of hearing the gospel preached, you may invite them to hear the joyful sound. With all this, you must take especial pains, that your own religion may be consistent and practical; visible in all your conduct, and more particularly conspicuous, in the kind, and tender, and dutiful manner, in which you discharge your obligations

the first lessons taught by nature to a rational creature. So right and proper is it, that all nations, ancient and modern, civilized and savage, admit its obligations. In another place, it is declared to be "well pleasing unto the Lord." It is that in which he delights, because it is the very disposition towards himself which he requires. And then, in his catalogues of dark deeds, and horrid dispositions, and atrocious characters, the apostle places disobedience to parents. The loud, strong voice of revelation is lifted to proclaim over the surface of the globe, "Children obey your parents, and honor your father and mother; for this is well pleasing to Such is a compendium of filial duties. Let child-the Lord;" while the voice of nature echoes back ren read them, study them, sincerely desire to per- the command, "Children obey your parents, for this form them, and pray to Almighty God for the grace is right." that is in Christ Jesus, to assist them in discharging their obligations.

to them.

A child of any degree of generosity will be influenced to obey his parents, by a consideration of their comfort.

ren, than upon any thing else. Their trade may prosper, their wealth accumulate; they may dwell amidst every kind of luxury and splendor, in the most beautiful spot which creation can present, yet an undutiful child may, by his disobedience and unkindness, throw a dark and chilling shadow over all, and envelope every thing in gloom. On the other hand, affectionate and obedient children sup

Many and cogent MOTIVES may be brought forward to enforce the performance of these duties. The earthly happiness of a father and a mother, Observe the manner in which they are enjoined independs far more upon the conduct of their childScripture. Perhaps there are few branches of moral obligation, more frequently alluded to, or more variously enjoined, than that of filial piety, The lives of the patriarchs from the beginning of the world, are so drawn up, as to exhibit and recommend this virtue. It is commanded in one of the precepts of the moral law. By the Mosaic law, stubborn disobedience to parental authority, was punished with death. The book of Proverbs con-ply the lack of riches, soften the weight of care, tains almost innumerable apothegms on this subject. The prophets very frequently allude to it; and Jeremiah, in the history of the Rechabites, has preserved a very extraordinary instance of heredi

sweeten the cup of affliction, and shed a pleasing light over what would be otherwise a dark and dreary scene of human wo. Children have their parents' happiness in their keeping. They stand at

the fountains of our earthly destiny, and send into | our dwelling the waters of bitterness or of sweetness, as their conduct towards us shall be dutiful or unkind. They cannot know, till experience shall teach them, the trembling and exquisite sensitive-havior to their parents. ness of our hearts, and how slight a puncture draws the life's blood of our peace. So true is it, as was said by the wise man, that "a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother," aye, and of his father too; he is a spot on their character; a blast upon their hopes; a nuisance to their family; and a thorn in