Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1851-03-26
Family Government.


In looking into human life, and seeing
how entirely dependent for happiness and
character the child is upon the parent, we
can not but consider it one OF the greatest
Of the innumera5Ie mysteries OF Divine
Providence, that one being should be so
completely in the hands of another. lhe
wonder is increased by thinking how much
skill, how much knowledge. how much
firmness, what decision at one time, and
what delcacy Of moral truth, if | may SO
express it, at another, are necessary, IN or
der to succeed in training up the infant
mind as it ough, to be trained. 1t would
at sometimes almost seem that God has
given 10 parents work TO do, of such in
trinsic difficulties, as very far exceed the
capacities and the powers of those whom
he has commissioned 10 execute 1t. There
seems al frs, view, TO be want OF cores
poudence between what, in wisely balan-
ced plan, we might suppose ought 10 be
nicely adapted to each other, the moral ca
pablities of the parent, and the moral ne.
cessi,ies of the child. We say al first view,
for on mature reflection We can discover
similar principles which common sense
and honest fath(ulness will always suggest,
and which, steadily pursued, must secure
favorable results. Among the lower class
Of society, we find many. very many, Ia
miles of children we'll brought up; and
among the higher classes, and those too
where virtue and Christian principle seem
20 reign, and where religious instruction is
profuseIy given. we find total failure. The
children are sources of trouble and wretch
edness TO their parents, from the time when
,hey gain the first victory over their moth
er, by screaming and struggling In the
cradle; 10 the months Of wretchedness in
later life, during which they are brought
home nigh, after night, from scenes Of dis
s;uatioa and vice TO break mothers heart,
or to bleach the cheek of father with sup.
pressed and silent suffering.
Why are cases so frequent in which the
children OF yirtuous men grow up vicious
and abandoned! There are many wise,
delicate adjustments necessary 10 secure the
b~h.sf and best results in the education OF
n child, but the principles necessary Tor
,olerable success mus, be few and simple.
There are two which we wish we had
voice loud enough to thunder in the ears
of every parent in the country there are
two, the breach Of one or the other OF
which will explain almost every case OF
gross failure on the part Of vir,uous parents,
which we have ever known. They are
these:
1. Keep your children from bad compa-
ny; and
2. Make them obey you.
There is no time to enlarge on these
points; but it seems to US that habits OF In
subordina,ion at home, and The company
of bad boys abroad, are the TWO great sour
ces Of evil. which undo so much Of what
moral and religious instruction would 9TH
erwise effect. The current Of parental in
,erest is setting towards mere instruction to
such an extent as to overra,e altogether its
power; and the immense injury which
comes in from such sources as lnsubordin-
alton and bad company, is overlooked and
forgotten. What folly to think that boy
can play with the profane, impure, passlo-
nate bows who herd in the streets, six days
in the week, and have the stains all wiped
away by being compelled TO learn his Sum-
day school lessons on the seventh or that
Children who make the kitchen or nursery
seems of riot and noise. from the age OF
three TO eigh, years, will be prepared for
any thing in after life but to carry the spi'
ri, of insubordinaiion and riot wherever
they may 60! No; children should be
taught most certainly but they must also
be taken care of. They must be governed
at home, and be kept from ccn,amlnatng
influences from abroad. or they are ruined.
Ifparents ask, how shall we make our
children obey? we answer, in the easiest
and peasantest way you can, but at all
events MAKE THEM OBEY. fyou ask how
shall we keep our boys from bad company!
we answer, too, in the easiest and pleasan.
test way you possibly can, but at all events
keep them out Of the streets.
The alternative, it seems to us, is as
clear and decided as any which circumstan.
ces ever made up for man; but you must
govern your children, and keep them away