Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1859-03-17

mas upon their present comfort and happi
ness No child disobeying the Lawful
commands of its parents, can escape a JUS
rccompence of reward. For in addition
to that necessary chastisement that pa
rents are compelled at times to administer
to disobcdient children, there is an unmis
takeable and ever watchful monitor
placed in their breast, whose admonition,
! it unheeded, is more teri ibie than corpo.
real punishment.
If any one present doubts the truthful
ness Of what have stated, let them look
around and say if they ever knew of a
perseyeringly disobcdient chld-one that
rejected the admonition of kind father,
or turned deaf ear to the sweet counsel
Of good and gentle mother-to prosper
or be happy. | am confident, my friends,
that you will join with me in saying that
the way of that incorrigible youth lead
eth to death and that by pursuing this
course Of disobedience, he not only de.
stroys his own happiness and usefulness,
but mars and destroys the comfort of all
within the domestic circle, and makes
that place that should. Of all others, ap-
.proximate nearest to perfect happiness, an
abode of misery. How can it be other
wise? For, with the most wholesome
family regulation, instituted by the kind
est OF parents, who may be possessed Of
an abundance of this worlds goods and
who study, as is their duty, their chill
drens happiness, if disobedience to those
regulations follow, it will be utterly i'm
possible to preserve or maintain order
and if this, heavens first law, is disobey-
ed, the most direful consequences follow.
1t Is sad to contemplate the untold
misery and wretchedness that disobedient
children have brought upon themselves,
their parents, and all connected with
them. think l hazard but little in say.
ing, that of all the black catalogue of
crimes that have disgraced humanity. and
caused untold millions to suffer and de-
plore the wickedness Of man, not one eau
be named that cannot be traced to the
violation of this fundamental law of ma
ture. There may be some who think this
picture over drawn But, my loved
friends, if you think so, go visit our pris.
ons And not to be tedious, pass over
those confined for lesser crimes, and 90
to the cell of the condemned one, and
there behold the emaciated form Of one
just entered into manhood, with despair
depicted upon his countenance the lustre
of whose eye has departed, and from that
bright orb that once sparkled with ioy, is
seen nothing but vacant, restless stare.
His woe stricken countenance tells but
too plainly that all hope is lost-that
nothing but an ignominious death awaits
him. Would you learn from him the
cause of his present degradation and
hopeless condition, and enquire into
causes that have led to his early and ire
socable ruin? He will tell you that the
different degrees Of crime that have led
him to his last act of violating laws sane.
toned by divine authority, had their orr.
gin in early disobedienee TO his parents
And oh! with what bitter accrimony will
he arraign himself before his own con
science and give vent to hopeless regrets,
deeply, mournfully deploring that in early
life he had previously disobeyed his pa
rents. Aud how frequently do we hear
the poor culprit declare that, wretched
as his condition is, he could bear it with
out complaint did the misery he has
caused terminate with himself. But this
cannot be. The disconsolate, broken
hear.ed father, whose head perhaps is
blossoming for the grave, haunts terribly
his guilty mind The tears of a loving
mother, SO frequently shed, imploringly
bcseeching him to reform, are now more
seorching to his soul than drops of burn
ing lava! Ii the fruits of disobedience
in children are thus visited on them, and
all connected with them, how necessary
it is that parents should use all proper
care in training them in the way they
should go. No opportunity should be
neglected, nor any pains or trouble spared
that would tend to the culture of the
mind, or the Improvement Of the heart OF
their ehildren--for their happiness is SO
minute y interviewer with yours, that it
is impossible to separate them. 1t is
true, that in some, and perhaps many in
stances, the best of parents may, unfortu-
nately have perverSe and incorrigible
children-and when this is the case, there
is no lack of means to upbraid the unfor-
tunate parents-but, conscious of having
discharged their duty, their grief will not
be augmented by additional regrets.
If disobedience in children is thus
profile of such misery as. have en-.
deavored to set FORTH, their obedience is
no less productive of happiness, of joys
and comforts that are as near perfect as
such things can be in this mode of being.
To my mind there is nothing presented
more to be admired, or that commands
higher or more sincere esteem, than that
presented in the family circle where
cheerful obedience is rendered to good
and wholesome laws. How pleasant and
agreeable to visit family thus circum-
stanced Peace surrounds the board, and
love, and goodwill, beams from every
Ecoun.enance. If there is any emulation
or anxiety observable among the children
of this family, it is an anxiety in each
one to be foremost to contribute all in