The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1888-01-18
Honor Thy Father and Thy
Mother.
BY THEODORE L. oUYLER, d. D.

BY THEODORE L. CUYLER, d. d.
There is a touching story of the famous
DR.. Samuel Johnson, which has had in
fuence on many a boy who has heard it.
Samuers father, Michael johnson, was
poor bookseller in Liehfeld, England.
On market days he used TO carry pack
age of books tot he village of Uttoxeter,
and sell them from stall in the market
place. One day the bookseller was sick,
and asked his son to go and cell the books
in his place. Samuel from a silly pride,
refused to obey.
Fifty years afterward johnson became
the celebrated author, the compiler of the
I" English Dictionary" and one of the
most distinguished scholars in England;
but he never forgot his act of unkindness
to his poor, hardtoiling father; so when
he visited Uttoxeter he determined to
show his sorrow and repentance.
He went into the market-place at the
time OF business, uncovered his head,
and stood there for an hour in a pouring
rain, on the very spot where the book
stall used to stand. This" he says was
an act of contrition for my disobedicnce
to my kind father
The spectacle of the great DR.. johnson
standing bsreheaded in the storm, to
atone for the wrong done by him fifty
years before, is grand and touching one.
There Is a representation of it Tin marble)
on the Doctors monument.
Many man in after life has felt some
thing harder and heavier than storm of
rain beating upon his heart, when he re.
membered his acts of unkindness to a
good father or mother now in their
graves.
DR.. John Todd, of Pitts6eld, the emf
nent writer, never could forget how,
when his old father was very sick, and
sent him away for medicine, he Ia little
lad) had been unwilling to go, and made
up lie that the druggist had not got
any such medicine"
The old man was just dying when lit
tie Johnny came in, and said to him:
e" My boy, your father suffers great pain
for want of that medicine"
Johnny started in great distress for the
medicine, but it was too late. The father
on his return, was almost gone He
could only say to the weeping boy:
Love me and always speak the truth,
for the eye of God is always upon you.
ANOW nice ulG OAC6 anu farewell.
Through all his life DIR. Todd often
had heartsche over that act of false
hood and disobedience to his dying father.
1t takes more than a shower to wash
away the memory of such sins. DR..
Todd repented of that sin a THOUSAND
times.
The words Honor thy father and thy
mother" mean four things-always do
what they bid you; always tell them the
truth always treat them lovingly, anu
take care OF them when they are sick or
grown old. l never yet knew boy who
trampled on the wish of his parents and
turned out well. God never blessed
williully disobedient son.
When Washington was sixteen years
old he determined to leave home and be
midshipman in the colonial navy. After
he had sent off his trunk he went to bid
his mother good-by She wept so bitter
ly because he was going away that he
said to his negro servant Bring back
my trunk l am not going to make my
mother suffer 30 by my leaving her."
He remained at home to please his
mother. This decision led him to become
surveyor and afterwards soldier.
His whole glorious career in life turned
on this one simple act of trying to make
his mother happy. And happy too, will
be the child who never has occasion to
shed bitter tears for any act of unkind-
ness to his parents Let Us not forget
that God has said Honor thy father
and thy mother. Pulpit Treasury