Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1852-10-20
SUNDAY READING,
Obedience,

DISCOURSE was recently preached in the
Clty OF Washington, by Rev. DR.. Dewey,
enforcing the principle of obedience
This sermon has been published in New
York and Boston by Messrs. Francis and
Co. The preacher devotes a portion of his
sermon to the subject of family government,
which he thinks is not arranged as it should
be IN this country. We quote from this
part Of the discourse:
Let US 90 back then to the family discip-
line, and see if we can determine what If
should be.
A parent is one, to whom is committed
the charge of training beings, utterly igno-
rant, incapable of easoning-incapable at
first, OF knowing the reasons of things-up
TO knowledge, virtue and happiness. To his
care, to his love and tenderness, to his gui.
dance and control, they are committed
His very position implies authority divest
1t Of that, and it loses all dignity, fitness and
reasonableness. 1t cannot have hnnn masn4-
tlIaV his wfsuom snUu1d be thWarted, and his
life distracted by the passion, caprice and
wilfulness Of his children but thattheir pas
sion, caprice and wilfulness should be sub
lCCb W lis dlLllOIlLls SOuIU IuGTe DS any
such thing as compact in the case, we should
say, it is but a fair compact between the two
IL 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 a dozen lit
tie children, irrational beings, ungoverned or
only half governed, wilfnl, breaking out con
stantly into screams ofpassion, turning things
into perpetual disorder and disarray, doing
this and that-running thisway and that way
without check, or controlled only by momen.
tary expedients to get along-must make o.
the mothers life, or ofsome other persons life
who has the charge of them, a sort of living
martyrdom. 1t is an absolute and enor
nous wrono in-1bA"ngtVrN rgnt 10 those
young minds; for it a wrong; it is an IN.
Righteousness, enacted into the very govern.
ment, or rather disagreement of the fami-
".
And there is no necessity for it. These
children can be governed. 1t is in some
respects, natural to them; and they are
trained by neglect or by a false system Of
treatment, to a disobedience, that is unna.
tural and monstrous. A child disobevino
its parents !-God's law-nature's law IS
against 1t. Let the rightful law be laid up.
on 1t from the very beginning. | am persua-
ded it is a great mistake we make, in sumo
sing that nothing in'this wise can be done,
tll the child is a year old. 1T would be
nearer the truth to say, something can be
done when 1t Is a month old. Just as O
as 1t has a will, rising above INSTINCT. 2 =
conscious and persisting will-that will should
on proper occasions, be gently and frmiv res.
trained. And that discipline continued. ever
gentle but frm-ever loving, cQnside rata nd
point, immovable-will secure a patient and
perfect obedience.-lf the child is never nor.
mitted to disobey, it will soon cease to think
OF 1T as soon as possible. And it should new.
er be permitted Esay it is a sin before Haa-
ven; and IS no more to be tolerated than ".
ing or stealing is to be tolerated in the house.
Such a law established, and the house would
be bulded anew. Passionate self-will-tbe
most hateful thing, believe, on earth-would
be driven out Of it. The sweetness of obed;-
ence would enter in. ItwouId be that neaco
that family love, which the Psalmist cAla.
brates when hesays, How good and pleasant
1t Is! 1t would be like that perfume of holy
incense to which he compares it. It would
De like the dew Of Hermon'-like the dew
that descended upon the mountains of Zion:
where the Lord commanded the BLESSING
even life for evermore.'
Yes, the children themselves would be in
comparably happier in obedience. We do
them the cruelest wrong, if we give them nm
10 their own cole .-;lI $50. UOsnutS
ma sweetmeats, that make them i'll, because
they cry for them, is but an illustration of
The evil and wrong which we do, in this wav
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: bnt