Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-12-15
THE CHRISTIAN FAMILK.
Hts Relation 60 the Church and {
state.


ed.' Gen, xiii. 3.
in opening, Mr.. Merrill spoke of the family az an
institution dviney ordained and consecrated, the
purest fountain Of human happiness and Of the home
as the central spot earth where cluster the hearts
dearest Affections As regards the relations Of the
family to the church and the state all that is most TX
cellenti 10 these originates in the Christian home Ev-
cry just and legitimate government has found Its glo
ny and defence in the Christian household This the
preacher said is wonderfully illustrated in the family
OF Abraham the father Of the Jewish church and COM
monwealth. The influence of the family as establish
ed by Abraham has come down through forty centu-
res one of the most powerful factors in the religion
the civilization and the governments Of the world. 1t
is from Christian homes that the church Of God has
ever drawn its supplies; to these homes came the
promised blessings Of the covenant, From thispoiut
the discourse continues:
The Christian family, l have said is the
only true home. 1t is infinitely above the
home of the pagan or the Mussulman. Ia
ancient Greece and Rome, the most cultured
OF the heathcn nations, there was little of do
nestle purity and happiness. To some ex-
tent the family was regarded as sacred aud
received the protection of law. Individual
cases are mentioned Of rare coDjugal and
parental affection, and of homes that were the
abodes of purity and peace but these, nc-
cording to accounts We have of Roman aud
NiA'Nlul hbGltlg, HtIt llht OHSth III tue uebtIl
The masses Of society, like pestiential pools
were reeking and fostering with corruption
In general, the condition of woman was one
of degradation and slavery. Hesiod, one OF
their carly writers, says that Originally a
mans family consisted of his wife aud his
laborlng OK, and one was ABOUT as much his
slave as the other. Under the old Roman
law, the father had the power of life and
death over his children as well as his slaves;
they were his property, and he could sell or
otherwise dispose of them, at pleasure
or the pagan nations in general it may be
said that the homes of the people are the
abodes of vice and degradation. The wife
and mother of the household is not the com
panion Of her husband, but his slave For
thousands of years their condition has re-
mainedt same: heathenism doesn change
There Is, Of course, natural affection among
the most barbarous Of nations, which renders
their domestic life more tolcrablc but, ac-
cording to the testimony Of our missionaries
and others who have lived among them, there
is in the homes of pagaus, the world over,
little of domestic purity aud happiness.
One OF the chief blessings Christianity
brings to the heather nations is that Of Chris
tiau homes It's redeemiug power begins with
the family. It purifies the fountain of ma
tional life aud prosperity. Make the home
what it should be, and the nation is safe
Christian homes are the best safeguards of
liberty, just laws and good government Ar
lstotlo says the family IS the nucleus of socie
ty and the foundation of the state. The whole
social fabric is based on the grouping of hu-
man beings in families. Without the family,
society would be but mob or a herd of hu-
man animals preying on each other He that
would break down the family would break
down the foundations Of the state all social
order and good government would be at an
end. model community is but an aggrega-
tion of happy homes. In wel-ordered
household are fostered those virtues and af-
fections essential to the welfare of society
There is little Of truth, honor integrity, little
of material prosperity and happiness, in So
cIety or government, that does not flow di-
rectly or indirectly from Christian homes.
The original pattern of government is the
family. The patriarchal was the earliest and
most parental form of government. 1t was
the union of several families under one ruler,
called patriarch Such rulers were Abra-
ham, Isaac and Jacob. Then, when families
multiplied and the needs of society required
a more extended and powerful government,
came the monarchy and the empire, under
which the families of the rich and powerful
came to be, in process of time, a ruling aris-
tocracy and titled nobility, and the rights
and liberties of the many were monopoliZed
by the few. But when society became more
cultured and intelligent, and the people were
educated in Christian homes and schools, they
aspircd to larger liberty and the power OF
self government. They broke the chains of
tyranny and oppression, and built up tho re-
public-the highest and best form of govern.
mcut for an intelligent Christian people The
only solid foundation for the republic is the
intelligence and virtue of the people. With
out them it could have no stability and would
prove the worst and weakest form of govern
meut-the government of a multitude of pet
ty tyrauts instead of one lawful sovereign.
A government, to be stable and prosperous,
must be powerful, just, humane, and wisely
administered for the good Of the whole. Such
a government is impossible except under the
moulding influence of Christianity, which
combines all the elements OF strength stabil-
ity and prosperity. Its power is Intellectual
and moral-the highest, both in its nature
and its sway over men. Physical force can
control the bodies of men; but this controls
the whole man, body and soul, bringing hiu
into willing subsection to Legitimate auth Lority.
Christianity begins at the fountain-head of
power-the human heart II makes men 10y
al to the family, the church and the state
No man can be an unworthy churchman or a
bad citizen who is loyal to Christ, the head
of all principality and power 1t is in the
Christian home that men and women are
trained for usefulness and honor in the church
and state. He who is true in all domestic re-
lations will be true everywhere. He who does
his duty in the home will do his duty in the
church and the state. 1t is the work of Chris
tjan fathers and mothers to train up good
members for the church and good citizens for
the republic. The best Christians. other
| things being equal, are the best citizens. In
| the Christian home are learned the earliest
and most effectual lessons of truth, honesty,
| self-respect, self-control and obedience to
rghtful authority, which are essential to the
welfare of the government The best legis-
lators, magistrates, politicians, statesmen, cit
liens, are those who are reared under the
| healthful influences Of Christian homes.
From such homo came that noblest of he
roes, patriots, statesmen, presidents - the
| Father of his country. 1t was the mother of
! Washington who trained him for his splendid
career of usefulness and honor. The world
has not given to Mary Washington her due.
| Her name deserves to be held in everlasting
remembrance. From such homes came our
maityred presidents, Lincoln and Garfield.
! Both these men attributed the grand success
| of their lives to the counsels and training of
| Christian mothers. 1t was not an empty pa
geant when our lamented Garfield, as soon as
he had taken his oath of office as President
| OF tue ftpublCi luTutu 10 KISS MS Motnef III
token of filial gratitude for what she had done
for him. Aud the world honors him for that
act. 1t was due to the mother; it was noble
in the son. 1t was the Christian home that
gave to our country such men as Adams and
Hancock, Madison, Monroe, Webster and
that whole constellation of patriots and states
men whose names adorn and illustrate ouI
early history. Shall we ever look upon their
like again? They were unawed by tyrants
uucorrupted by bribes, untrammeed by party
Posterity looks back upon them with rever-
enoe as the granite pillars of the republic,
whose names can never die.
In our republican form of government the
Christian family is essential to national exist
ence. Annihilate Christianity from the homes
of the people, and this republic could moi
stand another half-oentury. Our sheet-anchoi
would be gone, our ship of state would drift
away at the mercy of the winds and waves