Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1875-06-30
PARENTAL Duty.

III Nory curly ine VIC icarh tnht Otucrn
can know but little about our thoughts
and feelings. Therefore, it is not their
prcrogative to judge of our motives,
Every one naturally wishes to be pre-
sumed honest; and if we know that
such is the presumption respecting us,
it is comparatively difficult for us to in.
dulge or act out our depravity. But
If we find that we are presumed to be
dishonest-it it is to be taken for
granted that we intend wrong-the
first Impulse of depraved heart is sure
to be wrong. And child is as sensi-
tive TO such injury as any one. Let
him imbibe the notion that his parents
habitually suspect him of mischief, and
they are certain TO provoke him to
wrath, and actually induce him TO COM
nit mischief, OF which he had never
before conceived. The feeling of his
young and wicked heart is very likely
to be: "Well, since | am thought no
better, and, therefore, ! will be no bet
ter. / might as well find some enjoy
ment, and If | cannot have any credit
where / do try to do right, l will just
abandon such effort, and give loose
reins to my passions, and secure pleas
ure as | can MANY child. IL is
feared has thus become wayward and
undesignedly turned aside from the
path of virtue by his dearest earthly
guardians and friends.
A BETRAYAL of more selfinterest than
parental affection is sure to work mis-.
chief in the heart of child. Itis love
which moves the heart more than a
sense of duty. We DISCHARGE our duty
10 our friends not 40 mucb because 4
il dutv as n pleasure II is love not
duty. which causes the fond mother to
watch with unrcmittino anxiety over
the couch of her sick child. Love TO
God and love IN man commends itself
to the human mind as the correct funda.
mental principle of action and the
yery little child soon instlnctiyely
knows and feels its force long before he
can define and analyze il. lie knows
and feels that il is what a parent owes
TO him. At any rate, no one can ap-
preciatc il better where it is exercised
towards him. Well now let the child
obtain the notion that such a feeling
for him in a parents heart has been
displaced by a predominating selfish.
ness-let the child imbibe the idea that
the parent, in all his requirements. is
actuatad bv his own selfgratification.
rather tbrn bv any peculiar and fond
atfcction--and bc feels that the narent
as such "a worthy of no special reel,
procity of regard Hence his com.
mapds. as parental are spurncd. and
consequently the child il provolxed 10
wrath 10 think that one sbould tbus
presume to act parents part. Every
child's heart yearns for a narents affec.
tion TO meet his wants and ifit il met
with nothing but the cold demands of
a sordid selfinterest IL must suffer n
sad repulse. Under such circumstances
a child NAV be induced TO obey from
fear while he cannot do otherwise .
but he can never love TO obey with the
proper ieenngs oI cnnd IL can
never be his pleasure TO do a parent s
will. He may obey one because he is
his MASTER but he can never obey
him because he is his parent. For
there is no ground for the reciprocity
of fond, parental and filial affection.
1t is worthy of remark that the OBJ
legations of parents and children are
mutual. The obligation is not all on
one side. 1t is not simply the duty OF
the child to obey neither is it the sole
duty Of the parent to exact obedience,
regardless Of the manner in which it
is done. But, while it is the duty of
the parent TO exact obedience, and, at
the same time, of the child to obey, the
parent owes it to his child to secure
his obedience in manner not need
lessly to provoke his wrath. And to
this end il is all important that both
parent and child should comprehend
that their mutual obligation rests upon
the obligation which they owe in COM
mon to their Maker. A parent must
reflect as seriously upon his position
towards his child, as he ever does on
the position OF that child towards him
self. He has no more right to make
himsclfa despot towards the child, than
he has to try and make the child his
grovelling slave No parent is either
omnipotent or irresponsible towards
bis offspring.
IL well, also, for parents 10 consider
how much of their children's disobedi-
able upon themselves, 1t is true the
child, as well as the parent, must be
held accountable for his own sin yet
we must remember that we are so con-
stituted as easily to involve one another