Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1837-07-05
From the Journal.
A CHRISTIAN FATHER.

My COu, UleSS lUct, ttdl uo'S SuSi
father" said the son of the celebrated
Adam Clarke, in the closing notes append.
ed to the third volume of his life. And
what made him such a father! Was it
the gigantic structure Of his mind, the uni.
versatility of his talent, the deeply read and
richly stored intellect-was it either or all
combined that made him such father?
No! 1t was his Pie'y. 1t was religion
that shaped the man, and moulded him in
to the venerable example Of a christian
father. Throw aside religion in the FORM
ing Of his character, and you mi ght have
had gifted intellect, the general adapted.
ness of universal talent, and the soaring
and con.emplatve mind but you would
not have lad such a father. Byron had
mind, he had all the elements of mind in
gigantic structure but he was not such a
father, for he never was such husband:
He discarded moral principle. and un!ossed
himself to perverse and depravcd mind,
and sought the perverted and hot.bed at.
mosphere of licentious immortality; there.
fore, his was not the element of christian
love, the example Of christian practice, and
the loveiincss and symmetry of christian
character. 1t is true, he was husband and
father; but alas how unlike christian
| father.
But !. does not require destitution Of all
all moral tendencies, in order to display the
character Of father, who does not stand
out in the loveliness of christian example.
lie may be an egative character, in many
respects, and cease to show off the perver.
sites of an open and daylight depravty ;
and yet be destitute of those christian gra-
ccs which stand contest, the proper and
more lovely appendages of christian ia.
ther. Much is now said, and truly too.
about the influence of mothers; but let us
not in expaciating upon the influence of the
mother, forget the peculiar and command.
ing influence of the father. Talk we Of
Sarah and Elizabeth, We will still forge,
not an Abraham and Zacharias. If the
tender assiduities Of the mother, steal upon
the kindlier affections Of the child, the
commanding influence of the father, moul.
ded BY the hand Of dcep-toned plety, will
rouse his judgement and command his ex.
ample. The father has his proper place,
and if he stands right with God and child,
in lovelness and holiness Of example.
though the mother may have the prc.o
pancy in sowing the good seed in the ear
iier days of their offspring, he, from per.
emine ice in strength, will raise the higher
and stronger wall, to keep and control that
child when youth is lost in manhood.
We cannot estimate too highly the priv.
ilege to family, Of a deeply devoted chris.
tian father. There is something sweet and
lovely in the name family; but when there
is added to that, christian, it gives higher
and holer influence to the name, and
makes one think Of the endearing and con-
Meeting influences of heaven. Christian
family! And who under God, is the vice.
gercnt of the family the father. Upon
whose shoulders rests the government, and
who stands the example of the many,
whose eyes are turned upon him, for lead
ing moral influence! the father. Who
holds in his hands the resources that ad.
minister TO the comfort. convenience, and
happiness of the family ? the iather. Ought
he not then to be christianity embodied,
and picty under full and complete exem'
plication? 0 thou most High and Hohy
God, whatever else thou deniest me, in the
gifts and graces of life, deny me not thai
grace from thy infinite resources, that shall
make me a bright and living example Of a
christian father.
There is quite distance, between the
family compact, as associated with savage
or civilized life; but there is far greater
remove between that family, under the con-
troll and guidance of a christian, or that
Which concsup uuder The bHghtins and dis