The Portland daily press., 1864-10-17
Sermon for the Fretters.


'Fret not thyself in any way to do eyPs xxxvii. 2
1. Kis sin adGinst God 1t is evil and
only evil, and that continually. David under
stood both human nature and the law of God.
He says, Fret not thyself in any way to do
evil ;that is, never fret or scold, for it Is al
ways a sin. Ii you cannot speak without
freGting and Seeding, keep silence.
2. II destroys affection. No one ever did,
ever can, or ever Will love an habilual fretter,
fault-hnder, or scolder. Husbands, wives,
children, relatives or domestics, have no al
fection for peevish, fretful fault finders. Few
tears are shed over the graves of such. Per-
SONS OF high moral principle may tolerate
them-may bear with them; but they cannot
love them more than the sting OF nettles or
the noise Of mosquitoes. Many man has
been driven to the tavern and to dissipation
by a peevish, fretiul wife. Many wife has
been made miserable by peevish, fretful hus-
band. g 'e4s
3. 1t is the bGne of domestic happiness
A fretful, peevish tault-fnder, in family, is
like the continued chafing of an inflamed
sore. Woe to the man, woman or child, who
Is exposed to the influence oi such q temper
In another. Nine tenths of all domestic trials
spring from this source. Mrs. d. is of this
temperament. She wonders her husband is
not more fond of her company: that her chill
dren give her SO much trouble that domestcs
do not like 10 work for her; that she cannot
secure the good will of young people. The
truth is, she is peeVish and iretiul. Children
fear her, but do not love her, She never yet
gained the affection of young people, never
will till she leaves off fretling.
4. II defeats the end Of family government.
Good family government Is the blending Of
authority with affection, SO as to secure re-
ppect and love: Indeed this is the great Sc
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Beolding at child, fretting at child, sneer-
ing al child, taunting child, treating a
child as though it had no feelings, inspires
dread and dislike, and fosters those very dis
positions from which many of the faults OF
childhood proceed. Mr.. +. and Mrs. +. are
of This class. Their children are made to
mind but hows Mrs. F. frets and scolds her
children. She is severe upon their faults. She
seems to watch them In order to tind fault.
She seldom gives command without threat,
and ong-running, fault finding commentary.
When she chides, 1t is done in dignihed
manner. She raises her voice, puts Oh cross
look, threatens, strikes them, pinches their
ears, snaps their heads, etc. The children
cry, pout, sulk, and poor Mrs. f. has to do
her work over pretty often. Then she will
find fault with her husband, because he will
not fall in with her ways, or chime with her
In chorus. etf s. & sa 1iH .o
s. Fretttng and scolding make hypocrites.
As fretter never receives confidence and al
lection, so no one likes to tell them any thing
disagreeable and thus procure for themselves
fretting. Now children conceal as much as
they can from such persons. They cannot
make up their minds to be frank and open
hearted. So husbands conceal from their wives,
and wives from their husbands. For man
may brave lion, but he likes not to come in
contact with nettles and mosquitoes. 40
6. 1t destroys ones peace Of mind. The
more one frets the more he may. A fretter
will always have enough tofret at; especially
II he or she has the bump of order and neat
ness largely developed. Something will al
ways be out of place. There will always be
some dirt somewhere. Others will not eat
right, look right, sit right, talk right; they
will not do these things so as to please them.
And fretters are generally so selfish as to have
no regard for any ones comfort but their own.
-[ErehdRge. tNe