The Portland daily press., 1865-12-09
Sunday Reading.
From the sherbrooke Gazette.
- The Household-The Child.

The Household-The Child.
In the person of good and dutiful child
are combined the highest possible objects of
parental comfort, satisfaction with life, and
Iaudabe pride; while from a wayward, dis
obedient one, there are ever returning to pa
rents only grief, veXation and sad apprehen-
sions. The highest perfection in the world is
filial goodness. So equally, the deepest and
cruelest sins possible TO be committed, are
found in the relation of child to parent. For
the relation of parent to child, wrongs are, by
the conditions of youth, lightly borne; their
pain is short, comparatively light, and with
more of the chastening effect. But not so with
wrongs coming from child the wounds they
infliet are made deep, to heal slowly, ii ever,
and with their keen, severe GOODNESS they con-
geal the very heart for life. Wrong from pa
rents can last only during youth when SO cas-
lily borne, while wrongs from child turn the
summer and autumn of parental life into
dreary winter Hallam, the distinguished au-
thor, speaking of his son Arthur, who died
soon after completing his college course, and
in memory of whom Tennyson wrote his "ln
Memoriam," said "He was the only one in
whom could find perfect companionship."
The dutifulness of this young man created,
such atmosphere about him, that the father
found the highest social comfort in his child
though so much inferior in age and learning.
What, now was it that this father found to
love? 1t was all that one can ever love on
earth: the impersonation of his own tenden-
cies creating harmony of gentleness and vir-
tue, TRUTH learning, and bright future of
glory. The necessary, unspeakable loss, that
enables parents to say "we have a child in
heaven" but deepens after life into that pur-
pose and action which opens untold springs Of
comfort. 1t is here that we find "Things are
not what they SEEM" but sad things tmn to
lxI<n- So - ~ IN
think of one we have loved, that he
"All in the marriage garden
Grew, smiling up to God." .rG -s.a
And that now he grows all in Gods own
marriage garden" Some time since, a
mother not far away, read with apparent and
Just pride and comfort, a portion of a letter
just received from her son, then about 20 years
of age The letter contained utterance of
filial regard, high christian sentiment; indeed
all that could seemingly be desired in son. l
have the letter and will quote a few passages,
praying that our Townships may contain
many whose heart breathings are like exalted.
Speaking of how quickly his boyhood has
passed, he says: "Yet | believe as Holland
does, that manhood is better than boyhood.'
/ think / have been somewhat successful SO
far. and owe it all (humanly speaking) to
you. What has my training and early educa-
tion been worth to me? AH IL cost yoat,
which was no little self denials but great ones.
Your labor of precept and example / always
look back to with great respect, as well as
pleasure. / know it will please you when l
tell you I read the Bible; but lid you not
train me up to read it? When / tell you /
love to be in prayer meeting, Il reply to my
self was not | trained to go there9 And tor
this same reason do not love to he in a Sab
bath School, and love that name which is
above every name,-the name of Jesus T-
With such sentiments was the letter filled, and
l am prepared to say his life is as replete with
Christian activity as his letter with thonght.
Itrequires virtue to see virtue, grace to see
grace. 1t is when child is elevated in such
character, that the value of godly parents is
seen, and for which deep gratitude is felt and
spoken. No person ever ceases to be child
and to retain the obligations OF child. The
material duties may end, but the duties which
character and principle bind upon child
can never cease. The parent may die, never
theless am child still, and being such, am
thereby forced under obligations to deport-
ment honorable to one to whom owe (hu-
manly speaking) everything. tits just where
this principle is rigidly held, that one finds it
easy to fall into obedience to a divine and
heavenly Father. The character which pure
ly fulflls tle one resolution will also the other.
A child who opposes good parent is certainly
misguided however confident of being right
he or she may be. No self conviction of
contrary right can ever justify opposition to a
wise and faithful parent.
OF course this s;.bjection could not be ex-
pected to take from youth the right of choice
concerning a life profession and kindred in
terests in which parent and child may differ.
But a wise parent cheerfully defers to the
choice of child while honored by a filial vir-
tue, uprightness and earnest industrious pur-
suit of good ends; such life can only end well.
But baleful light hangs over the future of
one who in vice and wrong fixes his face
against parental wishes. Sad, sad, indeed, is
the end Of such life. "The eye that mocketh
at his father and depiseth to obey his mother,
the ravens of the valley shall pick it out and
the young eagles shall devour it," Said the
venerable DIR. Shepard, $40 such a child, in
his wrong going, would cry come back, come
back, and L never would cease to plead" But
while some parents die with their hearts over
flowing with grateful joy for honorable child
ren, others, who deserve better things, are
brought, by misguided sons and daughters
down to autumns of tears with which to
close life. Nor is the cupof sorrow exhausted
here, for the child takes it up and drinks the
one or the other through life. A dutiful son
wears the smile of God, but a dark frown lin
gers in the way of the disobedient and per-
verse. Childhood and youth open the springs
of life.