Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1852-10-06
0REDIENCE

the City of Washington, by Rev. Dr.
Dewey, enforcing the principle of obedience
'Phis sermon has beer published in New
York and Boston by Messrs. Francis and
Co. The preacher devotcs portion OF
his sermon to the subject of family govern.
ment, which he thinks is not arranged as il
should be in this country. We quote from,
this part of the discourse:
Let US go back then to the family dsci
pline. and SEQ if we can determine what il
should be.
A parent is one, to whom is committed
the charge of training beings, utterly igno.
rant incapable of ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS al
first, Of knowing the reasons of thngs-up
to knowledge, virtue and happiness. To
his care, to his love and tenderness, to his
guidance and control, they are committed
His very position implies authority; divest
j. of that, and it loses all dignity, fitness
and reasonableness. 1t cannot have been
meant, that his wisdom should be thwarted,
and his life distracted by the passion, ca
price aud wiltulness of his children; but
that their passion, caprice and wilfulness
should be subject to his authority, Could
there be any such thing as compact, in the
case, we should say, it is but fair compact
between the two-"I will train and take
care of you, if you will obey me-" 1t was
never meant, in the ordinary course of things,
that duties should be martyrdoms. And
yet, half dozen little children, irrational
beings, ungovcrned or only half governed
wilful-bEeaking out constantly into screams
Of passion, turning things into perpetual
disorder and disarray, doing this and that
running this way and that way. without
check, or controlled only by momentary
expedients to get alohg-must make Of the
mothers life, or of some other PERSONS life
who has the charge Of them. sort Of living
n.artyrdom. 1t is an absolute and enor.
NOUS wrong in the nature of things. 1t
must be a sad teaching of right to those
Young minds; for it is a wrong it is an un.
righteousness. enacted into the very govern
ment, or rather mis- government of a family.
And there is no necessity for it. These
children can be governed. They in some
respects, is natural to them; and they are
trained by neglect or by false system Of
treatment, to dsobcdicnce, that is unna.
tural and monstrous. child disobeying
ils parents Gods law-natare's law is
against it, Let the rishi(ul law be laid
upon it from the very beginning. am per.
suaded it is Il great mistake we make, in
supposing that nothing in this wise can be
done, till the child is Il year old. 1t would
be nearer the truth to say, something can bc
done when it is month Old Just as soon
as it has n will, rising above INSTINCT. c.
conscious and pcrsisting wil-that will
should. on proper occasions, be gently and
firmly restrained And that discipline CON.
tinued, ever gentle but firm-cvcr loving,
considcrato and svmpathising, but to its
point frm-(rom its point, immovable-
secure patient and perfect obedience
If the child is never permitted to disobey, it
will soon cease to think Of it as soon as
possible. And it should never be permitted
say it is sin before Heaven; and is no
more to be tolerated than lying or stealing
is TO be tolerated in the house. Such law
established, and the house would be buildcd
anew. Passionate sclf.will-the most hate
ful thing, believe, on eartll-would be
driven out Of it. The sweetness of obc
aience would enter in 1t would be that
peace, that family love, which the PsaImst
celebrates when ho says, " How good and
pleasant it isw 1t would be like that per-
fume of holy incense to which he compares
it. 1t would be like "the dew of Hermon"
like the dew that descended upon the
mountains of Zion; where the Lord com.
manded the blessing, even life for cvermore."
Yes, the children themselves would be
incomparably happier in obedience. We
do them the cruelest wrong, If we give them
up to their own seN.wilh 10 give them
comfits and sweetmcats, that make them i'll,
because they cry for them is but an Illus
traton of the evil and wrong which we do,
in this way. TO their whole moral nature.
1t might seem at first sight, that indulgence
would make them happier; and with many
kind hearted but mistaken parents, that is,
the plea; but it is not true Wilfulness and
waywardness, in child or man, is the unhap-
piest Of all states of being. Ever in such
state, are things growing worse-the craving
for qualification more intense amd more un.
reasonable-the whole life and being more
truly miserable Only when living under
law-only when walking in obedience, is
child or man, family or State, happy and
truly prosperous. Selfish passion every
where is anarchy, b.gettng injustice land
bringing forth destruction. The reign Of
conscience only is calm. The reign of
order is "pcace and quietncss and assurance
forever"