Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1867-11-13
THE CHRONICLE.
Home Order.

No family can be happy without good
order in it. No children can grow up
cheerful, intelligent and good, unless they
have been the subjects of a judIcious,
healthful household discipline. No par
ents can mould and fashion the course and
characters of their children to the higher
types Of honor and goodness, unless they
have maintained a kind but firm govern
ment IN the home circle. Nor will the
various members Of the family love and
respect each other, unless each has a Just
regard for the position and rights of all
the others.
The father has his sphere, duties, rights
and responsibilities; so has the mother ;
so the sons and daughters, and each and
all others connected with the family
There must be some well understood reg
ulatlons to be observed, or confusion will
ensue. The child has rights. Us well as
the parent; the servant, rs well as the
master or mistress; and their rights should
no more be invaded, than those Of parent
or master, otherwise the government be
comes oppressive and unjust, rather than
of right and moral force. You take from
Il child, forcibly, what really belongs to
him, or compel him to service not proper
ly his own, simply because he Is a child
and you compel him-and you foster in
him the worst of passions, destroy mis- re-
spect for you, and lay the foundations of
oppression, injustice and wrong in his
character. If restraints and exactions
are made, considerably, upon the young
er and more dependent members. they
will all the more cheerfully yield due re-
speet and obedience TO those whose rignt
II is to direct and control. True, the ex-
act line of duty may not always be pre-
cisely defined; but a parent understanding
each ones sphere, will be quite sufficient
to those disposed to do right. And if any
question or dissatisfaction arise, the head
OF the family can decide and set 1t right
That love is always the nobler and the
better which is mingled with respect -
Parents must make themselves respected
by their children, if they would secure to
themselves the purest aud best of fiiai af-
fiction. Unless they are respected, they
will not be likely be obeyed; and, what
Is quite us bad, If a child docs not respect
his parents, he will not respect himself or
others his moral sense becomes weaken
ed, and the framework of 3 dlssOlute and
vicious character IS rapidly constructed
II Is the duty Of the parent TO see that his
person, his character, and his authority be
respected in the family, not for his own
sake more than for the general good, and
me welfare of each particular member
But bet 1t be understood, that no father or
mother can be respected, or secure good
order in the household by seolding, blam-
ing, threatening or furnishing; no exhibit
tion OF passion, or arbitrary exercise of
power Wiz do it. This may make q par
ent feared, and secure a reluctant obedi-
ence, but nothing more There may be
passion, but no control, and no goyern-
ment follows, and no respect Is secured
In order to be respected, n must de-
serve respect. Not even a father or moth
er can long be respected, unless their char
acter and conduct command Il. Ii Is one
of the saddest pictures in all that sad gal
lery Of unhappy household life, where
children cling with instructive affection
to a parent and try to respect but cannot,
because OF that parents many faults
Yet q family must be taught-taught this
as well as other things. 1t Is not enough
to say, They ought to know how to act,
aud what 70 say, without being told
They must be told. If a child speaks m
properly, his attention should be called to
1t. He did not, perhaps, consider how it
seemed or sounded. II he persisted, it
should be more seriously impressed on his
mind. Be sure the fault, whatever it be,
be corrected in its beginning. Do not
leave evils to correct themselves. Tares
do not root themselves out, nor die till
they have ripened hurtful seed. Rules,
and laws, and regulations, need not all the
time be talked about. But when a for
getfulness, or disregard of these, disturbs
the domestic harmony, then see to It that
the remedy be speedily applied.
Good order will restore happiness to the
household. Respect and affection inter-
mingled, mutual rights regarded and mu-
tual duties done, will secure peace, virtue
and prosperity TO any family.-Nother's
Journal.