Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-11-29
The Family.

In looking over the world, in every age
we find not merely dark things, whose con-
sistency with good divine government that
is universal needs TO be shown, but we find
also great many bright things whose gen
eral usefulness is so apparent, that, instead
of needing explanation, they are seen to be
| lust what one would naturally expect from
| the sceptre Of perfect being That scep'
ire may have directly established them at
the first, and ever since directly and earnestly
supported and cherished them they are
so plainly and confessedly useful. Among
these bright facts is the institution of the
| family. In all ages we find this institution,
in form more or less pure, lying at the
| foundation of human society. Evils are
often found in connection with it; there are
ill-mated, bady-mannered, quarrelsome, and
even leprous households but they are as
separate from the family as weeds are from
a garden, or stains from our faces. In its
own nature the institution is clean, and
wholesome, and even Indispensable This
would be the unanimous confession of intel
ligent and respectable people. They are
shocked at what the absence of the family
implies. As the source of all the precious
things suggested by the word home; as the
mother of the most sacred human affections ;
as the golden thread on which are strung
conjugal, flisl, and parental loves; as the
nurse of order, thrift, and just subordina.
ton as a provision for the recognition,
support and training of children as a safe
guard against large class of violent and
shameful quarrels, and even against one
universal slough of vice and crime,-it en-
ters into the very foundation of all decent
and orderly society. We owe to it large
part of the happiness which has survived
the fall and were the institution ideally
perfect in every case, as it nearly is in some,
it would be a still more brilliant bene-
factor of the world. An institution like
this would come as naturally from the
divine sceptre as does the water from the
opening at the base of some mighty and
full reservoir. Its character and effects
harmonic perfectly with the idea of such
an origin. If we should assert that God
originally organized the family by posi-
tive agency, and now guards and promotes
it with the utmost resources of his govern
ment, the assertion would be one of the
most credible of things. The institution is
worthy to come from him. And from him
say the Scriptures, it really comes. Not
only is his scepter active in and about the
family relation, as it is in connection with sin
and error even, but the relation was directly
established by his choice and agency, anG
is guarded and cherished by his providence
laws and spirit. He started the race in &
pair. He set the solitary in families. HI
continues the sexes in about equal numbers
For this cause shall man leave father
and mother and shall cleave to his wife
"What God has joined together let not mar
put asunder." Marriage is made indissolu
BILE save for single cause. The right O.
parents to honor and obedience from thei
children is strongly enforced. Both Ok
Testament and New Testament lay dowr
numerous rules for family intercourse, tn,
training of children, the mutual duties o
husbands and wives, of parents and chill
dren, of brothers and sisters. And to sa,
that the moral government of God deal
largely in such matters is the same as say
ing that his providential government is eve
powerfully busy in the same.-Chrishia
Inteliigencer.