The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-05-18
CHURCH OF THE STRANGERS
Doctor Deems ON Parental Duties and


Doctor Deems ON Parental Duties and
Rev. DR.. Deems preached. by appointment, 70
q crowded house, on the duty OF fathers. His
texts were ColOssians, ILL.,, 21-"Farhers, provoke
not your children, lest they be discouraged" and
Ephesians w., 4-"And ye fathers, provoke not
your children to wrath. but bring them mp In the
nurture and admonition or the Lord" The Doctor
took the ground in the beginning that a. children
were the gift OF God and blessing, and childhood
brought many sweets to the world, and the family
was representative OF heaven. and 1.-THE family"
was not complete without children, men ought 70
rejoice in being fathers, and no man ought to be
put in any great trust or have any great honor
until he was father. He denounced the modern,
artificial, simple, selfish desire to be childless.
Then. children were born helpless in order to do
velop the parents. Helpless as infants are, they
do not need their parents much as their parents
need them. Theirs Is mere need or attention to
physical wants. The parents need to nurse them
for RstheLic ana moral reas0nS child Ia to be
trained for manhood. 1t helps man to train Z
child into man. II was next shown that tho re.
latlon involved duties on the part Of tho child.
The apostle had just said. "Children. obey your
parents.n and in the next breath says to parents,
"And ye, fathers, provoke not your chiidren,a
which means that the best way TO make good chill.
dren ID to be good parents; and We have ~
right TO blame our children for mistrustins
us II we have failed OF our duties
as a rule, which may have exceptions. Thoroughly
good parents rarely have bad children. Ii they b
dlsobedent there has been some deceit or opea
herr ted an unusually corrupt nature. Mothers
silently and powerfully affect the characters ~
their children, fathers by direct authoritative Ia.
nuence. Hence the precept ID to fathers. The
apostle gives Two dlrections:-
First. fret not your children. God has given
you authority over them. Nature asserts It by IN.
stlnct as in dunno brutes, and ny reason, as 5000
sa pn 20
must do that II not, all the family falls apart
The father Is the head OF the house. The child
must eel IL before he can know 1t. And he must
never lose that feeling 80 long as he stays beneats
his faAers roof. but severity spois parental gu
That you may do your duty Ia this particular TIVE
things are to be avoided. One IL, unreasonable
able being and wlll begin to exert ms faculties
early. He must be taught TO obey you before he
can understand the reason but when old enough
he must see that your commands 30 far as he cax
perceive, are reasonable. He will thus learn ID
trust you for what he does not understand. Thul
God deals with us. Another thing 70 be avoided
passionateness in your discipline Moody parents
spoil! the temper OF their children. II you have
has has as n much right s 70 BEL Be mad wSiis %
y suffering the punishment. He Is no better
o. y0a os a
reason is good one, '1eSt they be dscouraged.H
1t Is sad sight to see old man discouraged, but
your children give up heart. II they are taking
black views Of life, Is not something wrong wish
your Let all your discipline be to cnoer them and
make them ieel how lively It Is to be good and how
good II Is to be lively.
mp" Don't let them grow up. Tney are not weedsl
they are MOWERS. thing has two values; one ID
Its nature ana another by what IL bestowed on Il
The more value thing has by nature the more
that value can be increased ~ LABOR. Skill spent
on chalk does not increase it's value much, Dut
than god. chlds value by nature Is incalculabie.
and by gracious training may become infinite
sns h n nS a up n1ss s
The Doctor then described two errors In parental
dlscipline-one too much severity, even wnel
the Lord. milk Tor babes" - and some onrissias
parents never gave their children anything but
ments. the Lords day, the Lords house, were ~
made 50 repuisvei He showed some Of ting
ways II waca cb .as may De- aone ana tols
going to prayer meeting on Sunday afternoon and
could not take their little girl. and didn't want
the bedpOst and lett her to commit to memory
Doddridge,s hymn beginning thine earthly Sab
feelings must have been to all Christian service
and towards her earthly and her Heavenly Fatherl
described the absurdlty aud wickedness of Z
chlds party In fashionable life. Children under
ten dressed excessively, fed. feted, Kept up until
mind and soul. some others wandered every.
where through the great sinful city, And theiI
AotuctS, pcIudPS were CuuTCu OuCcISl
But children must be brought up "tn the admo
milton OF the Lord.n Four reasons were assigned
why parents should teach their children religion.
They taught them manners, prudential maxims,
trade rules, political ideas, from the beginning.
Another reason Is that religion Is the most i'm.
porrant thing to learn, and we cannot begin toe
early. The third on which much stress was laid.
was that II parents do not teach them truth others
will teach them error, and none so quick as those
who protest against children being taught religion
because It Drejudiced them. The last reason was,
yoa will teach them for the Lord or against Him.
The sermon was closed by showing that the phrase
also meant "Remtnd them OF the Lord.n The
show the LORDS love, care and wisdom. You can.
not send your child TO heaven and stay away your.
SELF $3.50
SEVENTH AVENUE METHODIST EPISCOPAL
CHURCH, BROOKLYN.