II * ■■ ■ ' (■' \ CIKM MicrpfichiS Series (Monographs) -■■ .*■ » - \j ICMH Collection de microfiches (monographies) r _ ^ ™ _. . ^ _ "% . ■ ^ t Ciradian Institut* for Historical Mlcroraproductlons / Inttltut Canadian da microrf productlont hiitorlquaa m .. I, toriquas -» Tachniccl wHf BJMiofraphic Not** / Notn tachnN|iMt tt lwblio9rap<- 20X '. V . 24X -- ■■^■_\ -28X ■ • 32X . w^-- Th« copy ftlmad h«r« has lM«n raproducad thank* to th* o«naroaitv of : . ThtUiHirfClMnliaf AfchivM VMiMM uwvinny nraMvw Tha imagaa appaaring hara ara tha bast quality' poaaibia considaring tha condition and lagibility off tha 'Original copy and in ^aaping vvith tha filming contract apacificatTons, '■■ ■ - ■■•':•..■'■ ■ "■■ ' / / - ■■.;,■•.,-:, ■■ ■ ■■■ ■ -: Original copias in printad papar covars ara fiimad baginning with tha front coyar and anding on tha last paga with a printad or illuatratad impras- aion, or tha bacit eovar whan appropriata. All . othar original cpptas ara filniail baginning on tha f irat paga whh a printad or iliustratad i'mpraa- aion, and andirtg on tha laat paga with a printad or illuatratid imprasaion. L'Oxamplaira film4 f ut raproduit grAca k la ginAroaitA da: . Tbt UnIiM Clmroii vf mnnm AimIvm. . vMnra MMVMiiiy Mmmi ■ ■ ' ^ . . .. .■ " .■ ■ ' Laa imagaa auivantaa ont M raproduitaa avec la plus grand soin, compta tanu da la condition #t> ' da la jniattati da I'axamplaira filmi. at an conformiti avac las conditions du contrat da ■ filmagilr: _ Las axamplairaa originaux dont la couyartufa an papiar aat ImprimAa sont fiimAs an commandant par la pramiar pl*t at an tarminant sclH'par la darniAra paga qui comporta una amprainta d'impraasioii ou d'illustration, soit par la aacond plat, aalon la caa. tous laa autras axamplairaa - originaux sont filrhAs oh commandant par la pramiAra paga qui comporta una amprainta dimpraaaion ou dlliustratlon at an tarminant par la darniAra paga qui comporta una tall* ./'amprainta.' . •; Tha last racordad frama on aach microficha ahall contarn tha symbol — »> (maaning "CON- TINUED"), or tha symbol V (maaning "END"), v&hichjhrar applias. /'. . ■•■ ' ' ■ , ..■■ ■ ■ . _ ■ , ■■ ■ ■ •' Maps, plataa. charts, ate. may b^ fiimad at . diffarant raduction ratios. Ttiosa too large to ba ' antiraly indudad in ona axposura Sra fiimad baginning in tha uppar laft hand cornar. iaft to right and top to bottom, as many franias aa raqiiirad. Tha following diagrams illustrata tlia method: t Vti doa symboiea suivants apparaltra aur la darniAra image de'chaqua microficha. salon la caa: la symboie -*> signifie "A SUlVRE". I« symboia ▼ signifie "FIN". Les cartes, planches, tibleaux, etc., ifouveni jHre filmAs A des taux de raduction diffArents. ' * Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atre raproduit en un seul^ciichA. ii est fiimA A partir da I'angia supArieur gauche, de gauche A droita^ at de haut an bas, en prenant la nombre d'imagas nAcessaire. Las diagrammes suivftnts illustrant la mAfhoda. ^ 4 6 lOCOTY RISOIUTION TIST CHART (ANSI and ISO TEST CHART No. 7) m vIPPLIED IM/OE Inc 1653 Eo(t Main Street RochMter. New Ysrk 14609 USA <71IS) 48S-030q^Pllone (718) 288 -3909 -Fox ■ l^^:-' ."#' ;i»' THE FAMILY. C^i "^ GOD'S APPOINTED INSTITUTION . ./ For the Estublishment and Maintcnanee of True Roligiou, ^ ^ JJEIN(; AN ADDIM^SS / ^ ■ ■ .- . / '■■..■ ..* - ' •■'■,• Delivered before the Synod of Hamilton and Loridoir ... .-■'■'/■ .* ' ■ ' » ■ . ' . ■ ■ AT ITK MEETJNaiN APKli, 187a, / B^ REY. JOHN LAim, M. A., . EETIIUNG MODERATOR. ' .■( rUBLISHEIX BY REQUEST, ^-.7^ ••-r. » < ♦ *• <- I BUNDAS: ^ nUMED By JAMiS S wlii«!h tlio H'A "f providt'.iion in priiparing tiieii- food. Bilontly iiiiilnojiiiciDHHly thn iuvimbln vapDUC i>« tliHtilUul luitl horuo over clouiiloH Hki«ii to ({ritliur ill iQixtx, tg (luHoetiJ iti mill, or t.> bo tninst^iHl in snow flold* Hud thus to tttfiml tlio woiiiture wUh«iU which thfl Holil, tilltxi ever no iUlli«ontly, would r«inaiu n (Icnort, anil the «.OOtl «f)wU would yiwhl no pptnni. Kvun io tlio Ood of grAee iutho tfcouomy of mJomption oiiMoloHsJy and noi«el«JH«ly mak«H hho of »gi>noiet but little thought of, to pfopiaru th« fertilizing utrp.iinn which art* to turn tho Hplritual wildornoHH into a KanlUn of tho Ijonl ; and by thoiu from, a;{o to ii'4i> hn rofrfishoB hli- hcritago whoii it \h wcftry, NevortluiKim wlion wis ri'joioo in hopo or iiiuuX iliMifaioted nud appallod bofofo tho oiniuouH clnuiKcii which aro paHrting oVor the moral and Hpirit- tuftl world and foel the importanca of t«arnc«t, diUigent effort on'Uio part of man, wo aro iu danHor of making too b mall aocount of Uod-appoiutod imrtrumimlalitiort, on tho piropor nnd or neglect of which, bucoojjs or faitliro iu tho higheHt iuiorottii of tD»n ilcpeutl. -^, . ' '. - ^ .---■-■»,-■ '.- - ,. - -■- . , ■ ■ ■ i - -& 'I*o ouo of tli«Bo divimo institution^, mont pot.int uii.l con«lant m itn beniKii inliuonoe, I now invite your attention— to the I'liiiiilij as ordainod anA u*e«) or OWtiff. Thoro may have b8, delighting ui wiir i^id recognizing no right but that of might, aa a race piiHmul into a titate of miliunoy. 'I^imi wiirif liiMH<«aed thn uumibi'r of maluN aud gave to tiie HtTong and yiotoriourt the wi>mou hh captives and slavoa, the property of the warrior. " llho family remained vagutrand incohcrout and " the iudiTidual mau was the unit of Hocioty.*' No marriage bondltatt luiowu, do Uliat relation or duty WiiH reeogui/tod. 5 Next oauie the nomadio condition, wheu individual men with thoir female com- StaniouH wandered apart and pastiuoil their Hockfl and hordn ak a diHtancc from theii ellowH. Kaoh of those became a patriarch, the head of a clan, l)nd the tribal institu- tion Mprang tip or was evolved. TliiH was uo family, properly ho cUlod ; but a tribe, with its head having many wives and th(>ir dosceudants Hitbjeot to hisaathority. ^liradually tho uomadic state passed iat(» one of fixed babitatiou and indnsliial nmploymentB. ' Then society was further disiutt-gratod. Tlio labor of the male bocain? valuable as well as that of tho ^^''or sex, and wivnan, at^ociated with man in labor and -in care, beoamt* more his companion than hiii hIuvc A.s pnaoe sacoouded war the numrwjr of the sexes became more nearly ei|ual, and an the tvsnlt of thene environments i\\^ inonogamii- ^mily institution was evolve.i, puoulitir to a highei' civilization aud settled industry. Tills, we ore told, wa» the ifi-iifith, or the maiy||^^tJroduction of the human family. Parental, filial, and conjugal love Hlowly and gral||Spr emerged out of brutish appetites and iustincti. The ideas of autiioiity aud responsibility appealed along with Intelli- gence aud morality as mau roje in tliti scale froofi a warlike savage through the restlolis uptbade into the polite inhabitant of the commercial or manufacturing city, and the intelligent yeomau of an agricuittnal community. * Nor do our philosophers speculate only as to thepadt, they forecast also the future and predict that, as under the iiiHuences of industrial civilization the tribe has become disintegrated till tbedleuoa and school attendance ; and to sum Up in his own words, "thia reoogmtionof the individual man when he is a child as the social unit, has gone " 80 far that by many the parental duty of the State is assumed iis self-evident, and " criminaU are ctdled ' our failiu-es.' " .^- '.tU'" Wo M« now whithur IhiN plilIiMi«i|)tiiuul tbeory ot Ilia fAiaily UuiIm,' iui)fl how torn- \il»Ut\y it MubvnrtN onr ri^tiiivttil iipinioiMi. AotiordiiiK to it thu fikniily iiHt^tition i» » (irodiiot of iiutiiml uvoltitinti, a ptflHinif pliMo of wMitity mi it mlvtuu'xit on iU liliuU bat iriuiiipiial iiiarnh t<>wiirilK tlio p«)rfuotioii of hiiiiuuiity ; or ratlioi ttwunU tlio (•volution of ft bt'ing m far Mn|Hirior tu niui) »» ho ii lupvrior to the IowomI nH<-i>iiftM. Withoat ooiuidiiriug it lunRtti thn fallai all but iiuivuriially n'juctuil an u Hatiafaotory aocoimt of thu uriKin of uionlal and muritl phHiiomoua, and of tlio apiritutU natiiro of nmu. Thla theory alao ftMHiiiUfla that tho priiuul atatuof man waa aavaKit ; an AHHiuuption not aanctiouud by hiitory. Hiatory poiuta to a high di'^roo of oivilizatiou iu tho (jruat cuiitrvN of autiro iiro jiut u few iuatahccH of a higher civili/.ation >nd a puror faith being Hupplaniod by biM- bariam, auperatition and moral depravity ; while there ia not a aiugln inalance of i^ tribe ni- nation emoiKing from barburiam into mouotheiatiu civilisation without luotal and ■jpii'ttual forcoH butn^ brought to bear lipou it from without by a auporior nice. rasriiug thou from this theory of Kpooulalion, ideiititlod. aa w'a have ajou it to be, witli thu mattuiali-stio piiiloHopliy of tlio diy, ami having tin import>int bo4iiiii^' ifffou riocial quoationH and the future vl our r:icc, wo ahall couaider tlu* Itiblo tlieoiy of tho family iuatitution aa we ilml it proaentud there in Hitblime aimplieity ; and wo ahall alao aeo how that iuatitution ia fi-uightod with bloaaiii;; fortlut lauo wlicu it is main- tained in ita oDicieucy. of love. Tho Bcripturo teachea that tiu< family waa inatituted by Ood, and ia coovul with thu creation of man ; that it ia not the rtnuU of natural law or of inhcriti-d iiiMtincta continued by habit, but waa aulhoritalively im{H}sed upon man ns necraaary for hia wnll-beiug, phyaioal mid nioriil ; that it ia not a at,igeof HQcial growth doomrd to paaa away and give place to the liii/hur re.Hulta of civilized iudnatrialiaiu, but an abiding inatitutioui^ which, iia it liaa Kurvived the abotaiuatious and dcgradationa into which tho heathen sank wlivn they loat tho knowledge and fear of the true God, ia deatined to bo a chief iuatrument iu thofllevotion and perfeotiouuf the human race and iu bringing in tlie fulnesa of thu reigu of Uod upon earth. The inspired account of the inatitution of the family ia full of deep meaning. The firbt mim created by the immediate act of Uod fUid declared to be very good w-^a "put into 'the garden of Eden, to dresa and to kuop iT. But for Adam there waa not found a help meet." Among the lower animala no oiio waa.found fitted for oompaQ- ioaship with the new ci'eature who bore the image of God— none tit morally, mentally, physically to be- the counterpart and companion »f that lordly being who was in- vested with dominion over all that God had mado. Then by u froah exerciao of creative power God made a help-meet. " He took a i ib from the man'a aide and made of it a woman, and brought her to the man." M%!i it well. That lovely form Waa not made ind^endently of the man, but out of hia|^ubhtt>.uce. So Adam aaid " Thia is now bon© or"my bone and flesh of my flesh, she sliali be called woman,'* — womb- man — "Isha, because she was taken out of theinan,"Ihh. Thua the tin>t man hailed his wife when the Creator, gave her to him. Immodiutt'ly tliereon follows the authorita- tive institution of Die family. " Therefore aluill n m.ni loavo his father and his mother f.r" 'f«;'"T 4|i th« fl.)MJnK»l r«l»tioti prMmhw tU* |Wd wil« Wffor* Umht* wer« iMir«ntH . iiimii li». l»«« w«)in»u. ii<>l Ihe mwi, !■ Uw omilni roun.l which tlia fiunily in to \m (orni«ti, the m»ii ol«»v«»t t.) hU wlf«. mikI tb«y twftin fortu from the tlrnt th« «c)«ii*l unit. '• ii«ilJi«ir u th« iumi without th« wotnaii, iioilh«r tho woiu»n without the iiiiin in th« liord." A nJngl*! iu»u and tiuKlo woman tbuMunltaa emiittitntfl th« umt of humau iwoioty ; and thi» uui..ii i« " » r«»l |>iijf>«io*l. »iUl, and npiritutti union, In virtue of which not merely in a Hgnratlva wnite, but really, althuiiKh in a myites lotiH aeniMt tliey beoomo one ttatb." .^ - Hiioli wiiH tho rtrHt family. Ita ceiitro wa* Kvo, the mother of all liTing. iypl- cul of tl»o truo woman, «ho iK .tlio counterpart of man, and hin «ompU»mout ; hia In forlor la phy»ioal ittruu«th>ud ooura««), but Indued with nouHibilitifla mor« tender, with Htryugoi iniitinctH and ttno'r umotiouM i rejoicing in the work of miuintory, cherUhiug him on whom hIio loanH, and forgetting wlf auiid patient toll and long MufTering en- durauco. In tlui family woman rcigua by love, brightcuing tho jovn, «harln« the uc.r- rows, loBSoning tho ImnleiiH, and dt>ubling tho comfort* of luau'a homo. Arouud hei . gather tho fruitu of holy wodlook, a godly Huod. In tho family tho nobloHt affootionH tlnd oxorcirto. Hero man driiikn tho higlio»t and puroat joy«. lioro tho devoted wife tfUfetaiuH iu trial and Moattors tho cloudn of trouble, while mIio onoourageH and holpa in tho accontplishmont of groat dosiguH. Hero in tho mother in rovoiilod tho deep mynlory of iiuonohloaa love which ihoda itn holy and benigw influonoo on ht/i- offripring. lioro ton thousand uuuttorml kindnoHHe» of look and act make the name of Wife and mother pricolonH, and Htamp lior imago forovcjr on tho memory. Here aiatera and brothor« loam to lovo, to boar, to Hympathi/.o ; and in duo time thoy go forth from th» Hrtcrod Hholter of t;liildluh)d. fragrant with lovo, to plant amid tho rudo uconoa of oarth'rt moral waHto neV ftuuilicH, tiuH reproducing tho pure Uodgivon blins of homo. llo\^ wurtjiy of (Jod in tho family 1 Mau'a training school for time and eternity ! Tho loved Hpot towardH which, though ocoanrt roll between, tho heart of the lono waudoror turn« with longing dosiro ! Thi) rofugo for which tho aick wan pinea, whore lio may fool tlai tender touch of wife or motlKi"-, Matintlod if ho ciitt but breathe out lifu in their proHonuo and dio at homo ! I'lius in Kilen for tho good of man ah yot unfallfU wai tho family iuntitutod by God, luid had ita place with lab.)r and the Sabbath as noooHwury for tho well- being and proper development of the human race. " Be fruitful," nina tba first command, •' and multiply and roploninh tho earth." liabour .liligoutly that you may bo bloHued in the onjoymont of oarthn preciouw fruitH, id tho implied languago of Obd when he gave man churgo of tho garden of delighttfto tJreaH and to keep it. lloat one day in •seven that you may adore your Creator and perfect your apiritual nvturo by commun- ion with yciur father in hoavou, ia tho moaning of tho ordinaco «f tho Sabbajth mode for man. If man iu innocenco needed thoao inBtltutious, much more fallen map. Into tho gloomy acenoB of sin and misery which iill our sin-curHod world, the happy family, honest toil, tho holy Sabbath project tho awoet light and h«mt of God'a love. Thus Ho tempers tho chilly mtmoaphero of guilty fear, holds in check the downward tendency to evil, ami alleviatoa tho toinful sorrows of our life bolow. Labour is a ncoeHsity ; to rtfiiso to labour and disregard ita fruits ia to do away with tho rights of property ; to bo idlo is to succumb to temptation, to make progrons iiiipoaaible, and to sink mankind to the level of tho brute. Tho Sabbath is a uocoasity ; to observe no holy rest is to undermine religion, to forget God, to lose all moral and spiritual ohar< actor, and to take from man his highest and diatinguishing glory. The fa,inily ia a neoM- sityV without it social confuaion must ensue, and society itself become dissolved into aQ asiiemblage of selttsh individuals, trampling each other ruthleasly down in the race of life, controlled only by fear, obedient only to brute force, without one generpua emotion or ennobling affsctiou.' Following scripture history we trace the family institution down through antedi- ■■ .^- 8- laTian p«triarohs, amoog the sons of Ood ; we see it obsef red in salTAtion by the ark ; oonflrmed in Abnhun and his free-born seed ; recognized in the law of Moaes. Even where there are gpeoial proiriflions made for polygamous and other disturbances, which arose from the hardness of men's hearts, we find the authority and resj^onsi- bility of the family head asserted, and a hedge of special enactments set round the in- stitution for its protection^ Onward it stretches down through chsinging dispe^nsations nntil our liord and his Apostles declare it ^new, set aside the human aooretions by which ' it had been abused and rendered. inoperative, proclaim that marriage is honorable in all and its bond of obligation prapetoal, and establish with New TOBtdment sanctions the faniiily, as it was in the beginning ; husband and wife, parents and children— the christian household ; the unit of the church, as of civil societv. y •. -V' '-S r. V A- , ' .Profane history confirms.the sacred record. Notwithstaudingibat the groat portion of mankind lost the knowledge of the true Ood and his law, and practising polygamy or tolerating promiscuous intercourse, razed the foundations of the family ; still among the oldest and noblest nations, and in seme of the most ancient writings, we find such references to family rights, privileges, and joys, as m&ke clear the wide- spread remains of an original institution which at one time obtained among all races of men. And it fa further worthy of notice tliat wherever the Gospel of Christ comes *nd proclaims the family as of God, there is a response in the human breast ; as by intuitive instinct its claim is at Once acknowledged, its benign sway is established, and the fountains of society are purified. The Mongol and the Malay, the Negro. niid the Indian, the Fejee savage and the degraded Bushman, the Esquimaux and the Aztec, quite as readily as the Hebrew, the Latin and the Greek, the ^nglo-Saxou, the Teuton or the Celt, recognize what God declares to be the proper relation of husband and wife, of parent and child, with their respective privileges, responsibilities, and ^duties. Thus the voice of nature is found to re-echo and hariubnize with the voices of revelation ; vrhile in one grand symphony they proclaim the family institution i.- from God, a necessity for the well-being and happiness of man. ' ' „.'■■•'. ■ • Let us now glance at the purpose served by thefamily institution. Tlie family is the great training scliool where, growing up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, men are to be prepared for the labors and trials of life. The family is the God- appointed nursery of- the Church, ft is ilMiter of common remark 'that a great change comes over them When men" and women feel the responsibility of fapily life. At the call for unselfish eflfort the higher and nobler features of character come forth. It is l^rule among christiah youth to find after marriage the uns.table and adventur- ous, yea, even the blame- Worthy young man, when happily married, become the steady, energetic and useful citizen. The gay and flighty girl forgets herself in living for others dearer to hiar than life itself, and is known as the kind-hearted, stayed matron, ■ the pruaent counsellor. and ready helper of her fellows. The conjugal and parental reLations are a potent factor in the formation of the highest type of manhood. P Through the long period of infancy the child feels the influence of the family. The needy pleadings of helpless innocence open the^ountains of parental love, and as the precious streams of self-denied a£feetio& ceaselessly flow forth, they bless alike the ministers and the recipients of the holy influence. Now is the time for training a god- ly seed, while, sheltered from the world^s chill blasts and as yet nnexposed to the poisoned exhalations of its corruption. Now the knowledge of God's law and the way of salvation is to be pressed home ; now the opening intellect is to be directed aright* and proper enquiry is to be stimnlated ; now evil tendencies are to be nipped in the bad or firmly restrained, bad habits Jure to be prevented, and gracious aspirations mre to he cherished. Thus respect for superior authority and a sense of duty and obhgation are produced, the will is subjeoted to wholesome control, till self-control, the noblest of virtnes^Js attained, and self-willed pride is overcome. Warmed by the .'.y^ beams b( a wise love, And nurtured in the fear of Uod, rewarded or puuialied, borue with and forgiven, cheered and OQOiforted, euoouroged Or restraioeS as oircumstanocs require, the growing youth is gradually prepared for leaving home.'^A'lipn he must under- take tUe stern duties of life, and fulfil the high end of hit* being. No olasB of citizens is so law-abiding, loyal, and patriotic ; uo friends so vuluablo, sincere, and constant ; no portion of the commnnity so clear-sighted, cnutioiu-i, trust' wortny, nseful, and ready for commendable enterprise, as those wlio have learned in the family to obey, to honor, to trust, to love, to help, to endure, nad to labour with and for othei.s iu tlie happy home of childhood. • » Nay, we may go further. The family of mail uaturaUf leads up to the invisible prototype, the family of Uod. The parent is to the qh|^n tlie place of God. The more of God that the growing youth sees manifested' inUio life and character of hi^t earthly parent, the easier will it be for him to know his father in heaven. The youth who has learned to snbject his will to that of a father on earth and to give him rever- ence, trusting his love, owning his superior wisdom, and leashing on his upholding arm, will almost instinctively bow with lioly fear and humble trust before the great Father of spirits ; and the sweet experience of a mother's self-sacrificing love, and of a sister'a or a brother's sympatliy, will make him long for the love of that Elder Brother who gave hiinself for up, who sypipathizds with us and loves na with more than n mother's lovC. Thus the godly family becomes in the Imnd of God's spirit a means of leading meh intp the family of lieaven, where they can participate in the riches of God's re- deeraiqg grace. Here also we may take into account the natural law of Heredity : that ia. that parents transmit to their offspiring many of their qualities, physical,. mental and moral. According to this law the children of religious parents are by nature religiouH- ly inclined; their natural taste and inclination is towards virtue. lu our zeal to maintain the sovereignty of God's elective grace (vnd to vindicate the truth that his 1 people " are born not of blood nor of the Will of the flesh, nor ot tlw will of man, but of God," that grace does not descend from parent to child, wo should not over- look nor itinderestimate the other truth, that his covenant is vrith his people and their children in all succeeding generations of those that love him and keep his conuuaud- . ments. And let us try to appreciate the value of that promise. i ■ There is what has ^been termed common grace, of which all who know the g>>.'^«-, Perhaps ie*fi^vectly, but as it seems to me by no and church in which the family is maintained and has its proper influence, will prosper and wax mighty. Thes^ nations shall inherit the earth. New countries are opiniing ap to Cliristian oivllizatioxi^; and blessed be God, the only \ nations that to aj^great extent can send forth «bloin«s are, just those in which the family is respected and is floarishing in vigor. These are tlie peoples which are fruit- ful and multiply and replenish the earth. .A glorious future awaits our world when Christtani^ has spread its blessed iaflueuce over manv lands. Tbe state of society then wm be something beyondour highest aspirations. But whatever changes may take e^ when the peace-loving, peaoe-blessed inhabitants shall dwellin uQwalled villages, t, dwelling without walls fuicl having neither bars iior gates— when Jerusalem shall ./ : X x- y /'. y- y ./■ r^ ^ ■■•■■■• :• ■■■i:V >■•;.;■- . ■ :•■ .■ . • ■ . be saWy iuhabitod ; then shall the fftwily roooh the height o( prosperity uIho. i»ua arouml the old tubu atid oW woman still hole and happy ^ the air shall nnK with th« merty voices o( boys and ^irls playing in the streets of God's holy city. What then, let ns ask in couchision, is the hope of thp world? By what instru- mentality will (;od subdue tho world? What human agency shall bear the seeds of blessinKS to the (urthcHt ends of tho earth ? And whence shall come the goodly com- nanv whose feet shall be beautiful upon the mountains as they publish good tidings of Kood among all nations and diHciplo them ? Surely the answer is : the Christian family, which God instituted because he sought a godly sood. Mtvintam this m Us P«"ty «* God instituted it, and it will prove hke tho snow tioUls of Lebanon, an inoxhaustiWo source of grace from which there shall flow forth unfailing streams of blessing, as the cool clear rivers Abaua and TharpiMr, making the desert a garden and turning the wfld» erness into a fruitful field, laden witli a harvest of righteousness to the glory of our covenant God and Kedeemoi'. . . , / : X y- y ./; y ./■ • \ ^ \ . ^ <" ' ■ ■. • - . - . '; ■. -'.■ •. ■.■vi>- \ , " p' i-. ; ■ .1'- . ■ ■' • &• * ■ - . ''.._ » ;•■ ". ■ ■-.:■:■'- V & ■ ' _>. • ■ •;% V ; ' ' ■ .- ■ ;! ■ . - . " - ■' i ^- . ■ " . ■• 'J i " ■\ ' J r :i 1^.-- / / 1 A l \ •\ .. '■■/ ■ ' J" v ■ / / > 1^ .' • ■ \ / «« \l t ■: : ■/ I: t '.'"»■ ' .■.-.■■ . I ■ '-■ f : ■' '■■' f •■; ' • ■ '. ».' ,•■'■'.■ ■'., ;, ■.•'.•■ '■■':"" 1- , ■ - ■ >- '■ - *l /■'■'•'■ • ; ■: ^' # '■" .- ■ ■ ^ ■"•; ■' • ...» ■;■ ■ , •^. ;.■ • ■■; ■ " "■ • ^ ;\ ",■•■; ■■'■; , ■ ■ : ■ ■: ■■■■■ ■ ';,. 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