Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1852-06-03
LOVE IN THE FAMILY

We have not half confidence enough in
the power of love to disarm the violent and
to reclaim the vicious. The fault begins in
our families We Go not seek enough TO
bear with each others faults. We mistake
our selfish impatience Of each others foibles
or faults, for a righteous Indignation at
wrong; and our obstnacy and pride, which
would conform all others to our own ideas
of things, for frmncss of principles and f.
deity to duty. We do not seek enough h in
our own homes to call forth the better quail.
ties in each others hearts. The faults of
our friends are often the reflection Of our
own weakness or errors. Our carelessness
causes their petulance, our jealousy, their
suspicious, our sellishness, their grief, our
injustice, their anger. SO likewise it is with
our children We do not love them enough
to make sacrifices for them in little things.
We do not teach them disinterestcdness by
our willingness to give up our taste for them.
We punish them because they annoy us
olener than they do wrong We indulge
our sloth, and the quickest way of correct
ing a misconduct which shocks our nerves,
or disturhs or interrupts our occupation, is
resortcd to.
Oh, how quickly parents lose the conf
dence of their children, never to be rcgancd,
by injustice, sclfshness and absence Of love.
Ii the child only has faith in the love of its
parents; il the son and daughter only love,
aud love tendcrly, truly, enough at home,
how much less probable is it that they should
wander far, or crring, should not be speedily
reclaimed. This is the grand rule in domcs-
tic cducalion-lovc! Give your children Il
genial, loving atmosphere, in which to grow.
Bear with their faults, which are often the
beginning of their best excellences-n pa
ticncc wait upon the growth Of their char
actcrs. Do not quench the spirit of truth,
Of beauty, of love, in them, by your harsh
violence.
Live as near God as YOU can, and trust
your children rather to the genial influences
of the atmosp pherc you create, than to your
wcarisome prcccpts and corrections, and to
the pruning. knife Of your standard of right
and proprcty.
Throw them on their own tender con-
sciences, and do not substitute in their minds
artificial sins for real ones; and vcer, if at
all, on the side Of Indulgence. 1t is not so
much well directed love that spoils children.
Obedience, not TO God, but to the arbitrary
will Of a parent, is often procured at the
expense of thousand sacrifices of the
heart, and the stcrnncss which has made also
the brokcn.spirited, suspicious and cold.
hearted man or wnman. Deal with your
children as God deals with his children. Do
not meet their anger, their pctulance, with
your own. or their obStinacy with wilulncss
still greater Overcome evil with good
When God called himself father, he chose
name. which he designed to be significant
Of ovcrflowing love, tcndcr mercy and long
continued torbcarancc. Parents, provoke
not your children to wrath"
What will not love do? What can de-
scribe its powerful, subduing Influences I!
Who ever accomplished anything by re-
proachcs or violence, or harsh measures!
You crafty a private and dark passion in
your own heart, and arouse another in your
own bosom. Perhaps we have all tried it.
God forgive u.s. Go, try the mighty efficacy
Of love. Our smile of genuine sympathy is
worth all your purse to the beggar. Be.
loved, let us love one another; for love is of
God, and every one that loveth is born of
God, and knOwelh God"