Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-12-09
&eadina tur the Sabbath.
CONDUCTED BY
REV. ROBERT LATHAM.
THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PARENTS.

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THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PARENTS.
The responsibility Of the parent is manifest
in the very law of reproduction itself. As
the life of the child is derived from the pa
rent, so are its mental characteristics and its
moral tendencies. We hear much of heredi.
tary drunkenness But this is nc more trans
missible to offspring than other tendencies,
both to vice and virtue. DR.. Dabury, of the
Union Theological Seminary of Virginia, in
bis sermon on this subject, gives this illustra-
tion from the last days of the first Napoleon ::
"As his life was consumed upon the 6 loomy
rock of St. Helena, by that awful malady,
cancer of the stomach, one of the few allevia-
,ions allowed him by his jailors, was the pres
ence of skilfu Italian physician, DR.. Au.
tomarchi The French officers near him re.
late that, when death was recognized as Ger.
tain, the Emperor laid his dying hands upon
his compatrot TO return to Italy, visit his only
son, watch over his health, and endeavor, by
every resource of his art, to ward off the dire
inheritance of his fathers disease"
Not less do we need to look after the wrong
tendencies of our own natures in these repro
ductions of our lives, and to be forewarned
ought to he fore.armed Here is the respon:
sibility of reaching the minimum in evil
transmissions and by the most careful and
thoughtful training to overcome the heredita'
ry tendencies to evil.
We once heard the Rev. Alfred Cookman
make the startling declaration that up to the
period of accountability, the parent was the
God of the child. 1t seems to be as true as
startling, however. The child knows no high
er wisdom, no higher authority, than that of
the parent. And, during the best. part of the
formative period, no influence is So potent as
that of the parents. Their manners words,
and conduct are observed, 10 be initiated as
the sum of all excellency, their teachings are
regarded as infaliblc. What they regard as
matters of Indifference are marked as indiffer-
ent by the child, what they condemn is des'
picable to the child, what they admire and in
sist upon becomes the child's standard OF
right. To the parents watchfulness and pa
tient care in teaching and training, does the
child owe his future. As the child is father
of the man, 50 do the influences which make
the child also make the man.
In caring for child we are moulding life,
fashioning an Immortality. We are making
or breaking co.laborer with God for the
worlds evangelization. There are powers OF
restraint which belong to parents, and they
are accountable for their exercise. 1t will be
remembered that the sin of Eli consisted in
this, "His children did evil in the sight Of the
Lord, and he did not restrain them.". Here
is the power of restraint shown, and power to
do is the only limit of duty. He did not re-
strain them frnm evil while he could, and SO
teach its neces. ity, and when old enough to
restrain themselves, the sons did not appre'
ciate the need, and so destruction came upon
the family, and sorrow ard defeat upon
Israel
We read recently Of miscreant stealing
upon an engine during the temporary absence
of the engineer and fireman, and starting IT
off at high rate of speed through city
No doubt the law will deal with him severely
and all the people will say, Amen. But what
shall he said of those who launch into being
the immortal mechanism of new life, and
start it racing through the crowded thorough
fares with tremendous motive power, but with
no restraining hand upon the throttle. II
means, selfdestruction, and destruction of all
in its track
A gentleman, converted at forty six. assign
ed as the influence which led to it, the life
and dying words of his mother who died
when he was but six years of age. And, as
she then placed it, her hand had been Oh
his head all these years, until it had led him
back to his mothers God.
The responsibility of parents faithfully
met must result we'll "Train up child in
the way he should 60, and when he is old he
will not depart from it." And for his train
ing the parents are responsible. 1t is theirs
naturally and by command, and may moi
be delegated to another Conference Worker
THE NOBILITY OF LIFE.-There is no &C.
ton SO slight nor so mean but it may be done
to great purpose, and be ennobled there.
for; nor is any purpose so great but that
slight actions may hel p it, and may be So
done as to help it much, most especially that
chief of all purposes-the pleasing Of God
We treat God with irreverence by banishing
him from our thoughts, by not referring to
his will on slight occasions. His is not the
finite authority or intelligence which cannot
be troubled with small things. There is
nothing so small but that We may honor God
by asking his guidance Of it, or insult him by
taking it into our own hands and what is
true Of the Deity is equally true of his reve'
lation. We use it most reverently when
most habitually; our insolence is in ever act
ing without reference to it, our true honor.
ing of it is in its universal application, God
appoints to every one Of his creatures sepa-
rate mission and if they discharge it honora-
bly,, if they quit themselves like men, and
faithfully follow the light which is in them,
Withdrawing from it all cold and quenchless
influence, there will assuredly come Of such
burnings as, according to its appointed mode
and measure, shall shine before men, and be
of service constant and holy. Degrees in6n.
ite of lustre there must always be, but the
weakest among US has gift, however seem.
ingly trivial, which is peculiar to him, and
which, worthily used, will be a gift, also, to
his race for ever Says George Herbert:
For all may have,
If they choose, glorious life or grave.
R,sskM.