Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1851-07-03
THE FAMILY.

THE FAMILY.
If there be on earth an institution
that may pre.cminenlly claim a divine
origin, it is the family. Its founder is
God himself. He designed it as the
seminary moi only for the nature of our
physical nature through infancy and
weakness, but much more for the incul
cation and beautiful growth of those
sentiments and principles, which pre-
pare us for the service Of God and
mankind, in all the Offices of love and
duty, of patriotism, humanity, religion,
and form the character which heaven
can admit to its celestial mansions
This is the proper scope and purpose
of the institution, and no adequate sub.
slltutc for its agency exists on Garth
How beautifully, and by what a sweet
process is the education of the heart
and its affections conducted in the bo.
som of a udicious and pious family,
through infancy, childhood and yonthl
A presence and power are there hal,
lowing all they touch, felt in the depths
of the soul, in the visilings of strange
joys, in the ethereal dreamings of hope,
IN the balmy air Of love and fond ten.
derness, in the soft and holy light that
falls from heaven on the family alter,
the palriarchal priest, the big old Bible,
and the mothers eye, so mild and saint.
like. What wonder that in all ife's
changes, roam where we may, and
whatever circumstances, the christian
home of our childhood is remembered
with religious ycarnlngs; The green
swurd, the brook, the cottage, bathcd in
mellow light, never fade from the past
and thilhcr, back from our most dis.
tant wanderiDgs, we repeat the gladly
made pilgrimage TO that Palestine and
Mecca of the mind; and often ami DIST
the strfcs Of the world and the vault
ings Of ambition, we both rcproached
and soolhcd with the hope, that on the
spot where our infancy uttered its first
innocent lisp, our old age may disbur.
then itself of sin and care, and slumbel
as swcelly as we then did upon our
mothers bosom!
The family institution can never be
set aside without dire and monstrou.
results. 1t was ordained TO fit men fol
usefulness, for kindness, for deeds o
generous benevolencc, love, and mercy
and no substitute for it can be found.--
As the process by which the fruits OF
the earth are brought forward from th'
bud and blossom TO finished ripcnes
and beauty, by which is impaired the in
imilablc and living blush, the fragran
oder, the perfect flavor, can be carrie'
on only by nature, by laws of assimIla
ton, affinity, and thousand fold climina
ton, above all counterfcit!ng art 0
, chemist, painter and sculptor so the pro
cess Of forming, training, ripeniDg tn
heart, can be achieved only by tn
thousand fold influence of the famil
, institution. All the philosophers an
: artists in the world cannot make
, peach-all the schools and government
, in the world cannot make a man, an
, put warm and gentle heart into hi
5 bosom. Alas! how many stupid a
| temp,s to do il have been made an
!. failed. Train vines on the north sid
r Of an ice berg, moistcn their roots wit
Dead Sea water, and extract uicC
Y bland and nectarean as from fruits me
d lowed beneath Italian skies. Trai
|. mans heart elsewhere than amid tn
select and sacred influences and assoc
a ations of home, and with equal reaso
= expect from il the gentle and generol
beating of humanity. There are n
| springs of love where there are r
y gushngs of household memories.