288 DOMESTIC DISCIPLINE. Discipline, to be effectual, should be steady and unvarying, not fitful and capricious; it must be a system which, like the atmosphere, shall press always and everywhere upon its subjects. Both parents should join to support domestic authority. Robert Hall's Reproof. 633. Once, says Dr. Gregory, when Mr. Hall was spending an evening at the house of a friend, a lady, who was there on a visit, retired, that her little girl, of four years old, might go to bed. She returned in about half an hour, and said to a lady near her, "She is gone to sleep; I put on my night-cap and lay down by her, and she soon dropped off." Mr. Hall, who overheard this, said, “ Excuse me, madam: do you wish your Ichild to grow up a liar ?" 66 “Oh dear no, sir; I should be shocked at such a thing." "Then bear with me while I say, you must never act a lie before her: children are very quick observers, and soon learn that that which assumes to be what it is not, is a lie, whether acted or spoken." 634. (4.) EXAMPLE is necessary to give power and influence to all other means. In alluring children to religion, parents must be able to say, "Follow me." To exert a suitable influence, the religion of parents must be eminent, and consistent with their profession, in all their spirit and behavior, for children have their eyes always upon their parents, and are quick to discern any violations of consistency. Parents must not tell them that religion is the first thing, and yet educate them for the world. 635. (5.) DILIGENT, CONSTANT, AND CAREFUL INSPECTION, is a most important parental duty. They must never allow any engagements whatever to take off, long together, their eyes from their children. They must study the development of their character under all circumstances in which they have an opportunity to view them, that they may learn what treatment to adopt with reference to each. Parents should also inspect their family, to know what good or evil is going on among its members. Inspection must extend to everything; to the servants that are admitted into the house, for how much injury may be done to the youthful mind by an unprincipled RELIGIOUS DUTIES OF PARENTS. 289 and artful servant. The companions of children should. be most narrowly watched: one bad associate may ruin them forever. The reading of children should be carefully inspected; and all corrupting books, and newspapers, and indecent pictures, kept out of their way. The recreations of children should be watched, and no games allowed that are immodest or likely to lead to gambling. 636. (6.) PRAYER must crown all other efforts; for who, except God, can subdue the tempers or change the hearts of children? Beside daily private prayer, there should be FAMILY PRAYER. This should be offered regularly and constantly, morning and evening, each day of the week, at an hour best adapted to the exercise. The morning or evening hymn of a pious family is one of the most touching sounds in our world. The prayer should be neither so long as to weary, nor so short as to seem like a mere form. It should be fervent, and chiefly relate to the circumstances of the family. Seest thou yon lonely cottage in the grove, Its roof deep-shaded by the elms above, Moss-grown, and decked with velvet verdure o'er? Sweet peace, and love, and joy, thou there shalt find; Nor yet in solitude his prayers ascend; His faithful partner and their blooming train, The lay of love and joy together sing, To Him whose bounty clothes the smiling plain, Earl Roden. 637. Dr. Sprague, in his Letters from Europe, gives the following anecdote of this gentleman, finely illustrative of the subject just presented:-" When George IV. was in Ireland, he told Lord Roden that, on a particular N 290 DUTIES OF INSTRUCTORS AND SCHOLARS. morning, he was coming to breakfast with him. He accordingly came, and, bringing with him two or three of the nobility, happened to arrive just as his lordship and family had assembled for domestic worship. Lord Roden, being told his guest had arrived, went to the door and met him with every expression of respect, and seated him and the gentlemen that accompanied him in his parlor. He then turned to the king and said, 'Your majesty will not doubt that I feel highly honored by this visit; but there is a duty which I have not yet discharged this morning to the King of kings-that of performing domestic worship; and your majesty will be kind enough to excuse me while I retire with my household and attend to it.' Certainly,' replied the king, but I am going with you,' and he immediately rose and followed him into the hall where the family were assembled; and, taking his station in an old arm-chair, remained during the family devotions." 6 This anecdote reflects honor upon his lordship and the king; while it exhibits in the one the dignity of unyielding Christian principles, it displays in the other the courtesy of a gentleman, and the regard felt for a consistent religious character. In view of the duties of parents, although so imperfectly delineated, John A. James very justly remarks: "It is enough to make a parent tremble, to think what a parent should be." The sketch we have furnished of filial and parental duty is condensed from the admirable volume of Rev. J. A. James, entitled the Guide to Domestic Happiness; from which also we shall derive illustrations of some other relative duties. The duties of husbands and wives are comprehended among the relative duties; but it will be more regular to consider them under the Seventh Commandment, which, according to the rules of interpretation formerly laid down, by forbidding the violation of the marriage vow, inculcates the duties arising from the conjugal relation. IV. Duties of Instructors and Scholars. 638. The duties of instructors and scholars are very similar to those of parents and children; for instructors are to be regarded, when engaged with their scholars, as 1 DUTIES OF INSTRUCTORS AND SCHOLARS. 291 occupying the place of parents, and employed to assist them in the great work of educating children for the duties and responsibilities of life. 639. The prominent objects falling within the sphere of an instructor's duty, are the physical, intellectual, and moral improvement of those committed to his care. 640. There are certain peculiar duties which he owes to himself. He is bound daily to cultivate and furnish his own mind; to regulate his own personal habits and manners, so that he may render himself more fully competent to educate his pupils by example, as well as by direct instruction. 641. In regard to the duty which he owes his scholars, he is to consult and promote their bodily health; he is to learn and practice the most approved and successful methods of communicating knowledge; he is to aim at giving strength and development to their minds; he is to assist them in forming correct habits of thought, and feeling, and action; he is to adapt his instructions and influence to the end of preparing them for the business of life; and he should ever bear in mind, that there is a far more important life than the present, for which he may and should assist in preparing them. He should also keep in view the fact that The mind, impressible and soft, with ease Duties of Pupils to their Instructors. COWPER. 642. It is, in general, the duty of the pupil to endeavor to acquire that education of mind and body, of feelings, habits, and attainments, which it is the office of the instructor to impart. Hence it is the duty of the pupil to treat instructors with respect and reverence; to comply promptly and cheerfully with their reasonable suggestions, regulations, and commands; to strive to learn the lessons assigned, to form the habits and manners proper to be cultivated, and to lay aside all those which are vulgar, immoral, or injurious. It is the duty of every student to conduct in such a manner each day as to be entitled to the approbation of 292 DUTIES OF EMPLOYERS. parents and teachers; also to cultivate a love of knowledge and of truth; to avoid acts of injustice, unkindness, and mischief; to cultivate noble and generous affections and conduct toward fellow-students; and to prepare for the business and duties of life. V. Duties of Masters or Employers to their Family Servants. "Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal."-Col. iv. 1. Of all the domestic connections, that between master and servant is perhaps least understood, or, at any rate, most neglected. It springs from varied degrees of men's acquired property: from the love of ease on the one hand, and the urgency of necessity on the other. It is important to guard the master against the disobedience and dishonesty of the servant on the one hand, and the servant against the oppression and cruelty of the master. Preliminary Remarks. 643. (1.) Great care should be employed in the selection of servants. Other qualifications being equal, pious servants are much to be preferred. In a circle of young children, one unprincipled servant may be the author of incalculable mischief. (2.) When a servant is engaged, there should be a very explicit statement of what each party expects from the other, in regard to service, wages, and privileges. (3.) Masters should entertain correct notions of the relation they stand in to their servants. The service referred to in this section, is that which is voluntary, and the result of contract; not that which is demanded in a state of slavery. (4.) Our obligation to domestics and dependents is much greater than theirs to us. It is a mistake to suppose that the rich man maintains his servants, tradesmen, tenants, and laborers: the truth is, they maintain him. It is their industry which supplies his table, furnishes his wardrobe, builds his houses, adorns his equipage, provides his amusements. It is not the estate, but the laborer employed his rent. upon it, that pays All that he does is to distribute what others produce; which is the least part of the business, either in respect to labor or true honor. |