The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-06-03
Children And Parents.
BY THE REV. NEWMAN HALL.

VI the DraCClCal QuCi6S WHICH SuOulu
be taught in the Sunday-school, none
is of greater importance than obedi-
ence to parents. What was written at
Sinai by the finger of God is repeated
with emphasis in the New Testiment.
"Children, obey your parents i'm the
Lord for this is right. Honor thy
father and thy mother (Which is the
first commandment with promise),
that it may be well with thee, and
thou mayest live long on earth" (Eph.
6 :1-3; Col. :20).
There are natural reasons for this
command. They TO whom we our
existence, early sustenance, and pro-
lection under whose training we are
necessarily placed in earliest year, and
whose tender affection we have re-
ceived, naturally claim our loving sub
lection. Christianity did not absolve us
from this obligation, but confirmed it.
Those who by faith in Christ become
children of God are not therefore to
consider themselves free from parental
authority; they are to obey their pa
rents ''in the Lord" as part of their
religion, as q duty to God, and as
"well pleasing" to him.
The special promise has been by
some enormously regarded rs meaning
that every dutiful child will be pros
porous and long-living. AS this is not
the fact in all cases, it might seem
that the promise fails. But it was
national, not personal. If the chill
dren of Israel as community honored
parents, this reverence in the family
would tend to order in the State, and
thus result in national stability. Frac-
tious children are likely to become
disorderly citizens. "Order is
heavens first law" In the words of
DIR. Dale, 1.-The family is the germ-cell
of the nation. If children are trained
to honor their parents, men and wo-
men will be trained to those habits
of order and obedience which are the
true security of public peace" But 4
stronger motive than public utility is
the command of God. Filial obedience
is "well pleasing to the Lord" while
disobedience is hateful, and will be
punished in the next world, if not in
this.
More than mere obedience IS implied
by the command "Honor thy father
and mother.n This involves reverence
for their persons, more practiced in
former days than in these speaking
to and of parents with respect not in
ferior to that with which any one else
is treated, however distinguished.
Sometimes children abuse the supe-
rior educationthey owe to their parents
by rude criticism of what they con-
slider errors in speech or manner,-a
base vulgarity in the priggish critic,
far worse than such errors of the
parent. Filial children will honor
their opinions, and even when not
sharing them, will listen respectfully,
weigh carefully, and not contradict
rudely. The parents society will
be cherished, their advice sought,
their confidence valued. In poverty,
sickness, age, parents will he support
ed, solaced, affectionately tended.
The love received in infancy will be
repaid when second childhood over
takes the parents. Even long after
their death, they may be honored by
remembrance oftheir example, teach
ing, and prayers. The thought "what
would father or mother wish?" has
OllGIl IL 'oSoiS IVA -
tue and God.
If such should he the conduct of
children, parents and teachers should
remember their relative duties. They
owe it to their country to train chill
dren for good citizens by insisting on
order in the family and the school.
They owe it to all who may be associ-
ated with them in after life. Children
trained in self-indulgence and self
will become plaques and pests to the
State, to society to their relatives, to
themselves. Parents who permit
children to rule the home, and through
Incidence or false kindness, hesitate
to control them, are rs guilty in neg
lect Of ruling as children in neglect of
obeying.
But in the exercise of this authority,
fathers are to "provoke not their chill
dren, that they he not discouraged"
BY faults of parents, many children,
naturally atlectionate, truthful, and
obedient, are checked in their love,
provoked, and made rebellious. Such
provocation may rise from sternncss
instead or tenderness in the mode of
exercising authority, commands being
given in terms and tones harsh and
alarming to sensitive child by anger
at accidental failures, and punishment
undue ,wrathful, and often altogether
unjust 10y habitual faultiinders, Us an
ignorant or unfeeling driver constant
ly tagging the reins and irritating the
horses mouth with the bit; by stint
ing praise, word Of commendation
being more eilicacious than ten of
scolding, to prompt child to duty.
DR.. McLaren says "rhc sunshine of
the parents smile should ripcn the
childrcn's love into the fruit of obcdi-
ence, remembering that the frost in
spring scatters the blossoms on the
grass"
Parents may also "discourasc" and
"provokc" children by reminding
them of natural defects, for which they
are not responsible; by calling them
stupid" when efforts to understand
have failed; by reminding them of
past faults, which. when forgiven,
should have been buried ; by interier-
encc with their harmless pleasures ;
by taking no interest in their Juvenile
pursuits; by making home place of
irksom restraint rather than Of orderly
freedom by expecting qualities and
demean0r from youth similar to their
lowu i'm their noe Children are thus