The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1868-02-26
Fox THE CENTRAL PREsByTERIAS.
Two Portraits.

Long years have run their course since
the writer of this brief article became a
pastor. He has been led to notice with
care how differently and with what differ
ent results parents bring up their chill
dren. He would here venture to sketch
two of them as specimens.
Mr.. c. was a member of the church,
always in his place, contributed literally
of his money to religious purposes, was
an intelligent and devout man. Every
body had confidence in his piety. But
there was one great draw back about the
ordering of his household. He was not
wise in the manner in which his children
we're brought up. 1t could not be said
that he did not love tssena, but he had a
remarkable talent for concealing it. He
often talked to his pastor about them, and
wept over their sad course; but it would
have been better had he wept over his
own. A more unfortunate one, in some
important respects, | have never known.
He never made them at home in his pres
ence, was an everlasting scold, and had a
surprising acuteness and talent at fault
finding The consequence was that in
spite of all that good mother could do,
they were always glad to be out of mis-
sight, and as their father made no proyi-
sion for suitable companions to visit them
at home, and in fact frowned on the at
tempts, when made, they soon contrived to
find bad ones abroad. To effect this the
more readily, they would steal away at
night, after he was asleep. The sequel
may be already known. They soon
plunged into open dissipation; the life
of that father was one of intense distress.
He was dishonored by his sons, and soon
sunk down into the grave, broken-heart-
ed. Not one of those sons ever proved
of any use to society; they were dissi
pated and reckless, and believe the last
was lately followed by few old family
frieuds to a drunkard's grave.
In looking over the history of this fam
lily some time since, with one who knew
them well, we were both of the opinion
that in all probability the sad results
were owing chiefly to the fact that the
father seemed to think the only way to
deal with his sons was in stern authority.
Never, so far as either of US knew, did he
admit his sops to any thing like familiar
comp f-io4
and sympatf1Se Win -, u - &.
mournful mistake, and bitter were the
fruits of it.
With the good Col P how different.
Whoever spent night under his roof
without being refreshed by the happy
scene? With bright faces and merry
hearts they all gathered around the ia
Bile. And when family prayer followed,
with what respectful, serious manner they
attended to every part. Then into the
parlor they ran, where conversation, and
music, and innocent fun filled up the time.
In it all the presence of the father and
the mother, SO far from imposing any en-
barrassment, had just the contrary eff
feet. They were the life of it all, and
their absence would have been damper
to every child in the room. With the
dawn of morning the first thing heard
was the voice of the father in full glee
among his children. Every imaginable
kind of pleasantly and joke passed be-
tween them, as they came together; but
still, never were children more respect
full and obedient. Love was the golden
chain that bound all the happy circle
l often noticed, in my frequent visits to
that lovely household, that in making ar
rangements for the employments of the
day, those children were considered most
highly favored whose lot it was to be
most with their parents. And when,
as happened not unfrequently ON Satur-
days, the father told his boys they were
all to have hunt or fishing with him
for few hours, their JOY was at its top
most bent. The Sabbath was to them nc
weariness, but was enjoyed both at home
and at church with exquisite delight
"The saint, the father and the friend,
were all beautifully mingled in what was
said and done by Col. P, and certainly
few could have been found to excel his
noble wife.
The result in this case too, was wha
might have been expected-but how diff
ferent from the other 'I will be Goo
to thee and to thy seed after the" e"-i'
the promise. These pious parents tool
hold of it in faith and made it their daily
plea before God. They expected its full
flment, and we're not disappointed. Al
their children grew up they were early
gathered into the fold:of the Good Shep
herd. Their sons and their daughter
became pillars in the church, and ar
now training up new households, as the.
themselves were brought up, "in tn
nurture and admonition of the Lord"
| plead for parental authority to tn