.'"i^. ^. ^ ^ ^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) ''^ fc l!i 1.0 I.I 1^ | 4£ ■ 50 u Hi :^ i4£ 12.0 lit liu 1.25 I 1.4 ||.6 ■• 6" — ► s>m # Vl % "n '^r^* ys 1> r Hiotographic Sciences Corporation ^^^ ^ ^. Wi-^ % 6^ 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTFR.N.Y. USeO (716) 871-4303 .V i/. I? CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHIVI/ICIVIH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques Technical and Bibliographic Notas/Notas tachniquaa at bibliographiquas Tha toti Tha Instituta hat attamptad to obtain tha bast original copy availabia for filming. Faaturaa of this copy which may l>a bibliographically uniqua, which may altar any of tha imagas in tha raproductiorj, or which may significantly changa tha usual mathod of filming, ara chackad balow. □ n n a n n Colourad covars/ Couvartura da coulaur Covars damagad/ Couvartura andommagte Covars rastorad and/or laminatad/ Couvartura rastaurte at/ou pailiculte Covar titia miasing/ La titra da couvartura manqua Colourad mapa/ Cartes giographiquas an coulaur Colourad ink (i.a. othar than blua or black)/ Encra da coulaur (i.a. autra qua blaua ou noira) Colourad platas and/or illustrations/ PIsnchas at/ou illustrations tn coulaur Bound with othar matarial/ Raiii avac d'autras documants Tight binding may eauaa ahadcws or distortion along interior margin/ La re liure serrAe peut causer de I'ombre ou de la distorslon la long de la marge li t^rieure Blank leaves added during restoration may appear within the text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajouties lore d'une restauration apparaissant dans la taxta. mala, lorsque cela 6talt possible, ces pages n'ont pas At* filmtes. L'Institut a microfilm* la mailleur exempiaire qu'il lui a itt possible de se procurer. Las ditaiis de cet exempiaire qui sont peut-Atrs uniques du point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une modification dans la mAthoda normale de filmage sont indiqute ci-dessous. D n Coloured pages/ Pagaa de couinur Pagea damaged/ Pages endommagies Pages restored and/or laminated/ Pages restaurias at/ou pelliculies Pagea discoloured, stained or foxeu/ Pages dicolories. tachetAes ou piquees Pages detached/ Pages ditachies Showthrough/ Transparence Tha post of tl film Orig begl the sion othc first sion oril r~~] Quality of print varies/ Quaiiti in4ga*e de I'impression Includes supplementary material/ Comprend du material supplAmantaire Only edition available/ Seule Edition disponibie The shal TINI whi( Map diffi entii bag! righi requ metl n Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, etc.. have been refilmed to ensure the best possible image/ Lea pages totalement ou partiailement obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata. une pelure. etc.. ont M film6es A nouveau de fa^on i obtenir la meilleure image possible. Additional comments:/ Commentaires supplAmantairas: Cover title is a photoreproduction from Queen's University, Kingston, Ont. There are some creases in the middle of the pages. This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est film* au taux de reduction indiquA ci-dessous. 10X 14X 18X 22X 26X 30X 12X 16X 20X 24X 28X 32X The copy fiPmsd here he* been reproduced thenks to the generosity of: UniMftity of Saskatchewan Saskatoon L'exempleiie filmA fut reproduit grice A Is gtn^roslt* de: University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon The imsges sppesring here srs the best qusllty possible considering the condition end legibility of the original copy and in keeping with the filming contract specifications. Les images suivantes ont M4 reproduites avec le plus grand soln, compte tenu de la condition et de la nettet6 de I'exemplaire fllmA, et en conformity avec les conditions du contrat de filmage. Original copies In printed paper covers are filmed beginning with the front cover and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated Impres- sion, or the back cover when appropriate. All other original copies are filmed beginning on the first page with a printed or Illustrated impres- sion, and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated Impression. Les exemplaires orlginaux dont la couverture en papier est imprimie sont filmtis en commenpant par le premier plat et en terminant solt par la dernldre page qui comporte une emprelnte d'Impression ou d'lllustration, soit par le second plat, selon le cas. Tous les autres exemplaires orlginaux sont fllmte en commenpant par la premiere page qui comporte une emprelnte d'Impression ou d'lllustration et en terminant par la dernlAre page qui comporte une telle emprelnte. The last recorded frame on each microfiche shall contain the symbol — ^ (meaning "CON- TINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), whichever applies. Un des symboles suivants apparaltra sur la dernlAre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbole — ► signlfie "A SUIVRE", le symbols y signifie "FIN". Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc.. peuvent Atre fllmte A des taux de rMuctlon diffdrents. Lorsque le document est trop grend pour Atre reprorlult en un seul clichA, il est film* 4k partir de Tangle supArleur gauche, de gauche h drolte, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'Images nAcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants iiiustrent la m6thode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 fif'. r. v. villi )|oral and Eellgiiiiis Education, iW."- F£i BTJStt ^ UOTQ^ DBUVEREI) TO TUB ^-^MIcrflHXpS^ INSTITUTE || REVD. JOHN COOK, D. D. PftlNTED BY SlSCLAlU AND POOLEU, 22, Mountain Street. "■ ^ ^ *■ ■—•*.»'■ i-MM--^ry#i^-**""*t' ■■***•'•** ^.■''^il^rt'!''''^^ ;y>^::^^v*;^^i^^^: ./' V t>. - -• *> J^W^- ?5&^.^ .>& J?' -tfi EARLY MORAL AND RELIGIOUS EDUCATION, BEING A LECTURE DELIVERED TO THE MECHANICS' INSTITUTE AND LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, BY THE REV. JOHN COOK, D. D. MINISTER OF ST. ANDREW'S CHURCH; / QUEB, /■ 1 Bl ■.4» ? • ut>n *4*«MAJtf^'^JMI 1 :S' /I "^oA-^;-^ J' o 4? EARLY MORAL AND RELIGIOUS EDUCATION, BEING A LECTURE DELIVERED TO THE MECHANICS' INSTITUTE AND LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, BY THE REVD. JOHN COOK, D. D. MINISTER OF ST, ANDREW'S CHURCH, QUEBEC. It is natural for an honest and right-minded dependent to feel pecuUar anxiety, when a superior has entrusted him with something of special value and importance. There is in his mind a sense of responsibility connected with the charge,— an alarm lest any necessary care in respect of it should be neglected, any needful watchfulness relaxed,— lest by any accident misfortune should come over it while in his hands, and he be unable to render a satisfactory account of the trust that has been reposed in him. Such a sense of anxious responsibility, in respect of the charge com- mitted to him, a parent, it would seem, is specially bound to feel. In the helpless little one which has just opened its eyes upon the light, and is as yet utterly incapable of the least effort for its own preservation, there are hidden the elements of a rational, a moral, an immortal nature. A being has commen- ced to which no end has been assigned. Yet a little, and the oxorciao of reason shall inform and irradiate that dim and Avandcring eye. Yot a little and passion shall sweep across that yet unconscious bosom. In that ^-oblc form arc planted, as if in embryo, and waiting only for devclopcn.ent, thoso noble powers, in virtue of which man is but a little lower than the angels. Who but must look with solemn awe on the un- conscious infant, while considering how unlimited the good ho may do, or attain,-the evil ho may do or suffer ; above all, when taking into account, that he is an assured, predestined heir of immortality; and that according to the tenor of the course, which he has just begun, ho shall hereafter be a ser- aph before the throne of Sod, or an outcast from all that is holy and happy in the universe? Wliat trust can man give to man, to be compared in intrinsic value, or in the importance of its being discharged rightly, with that which Providenco gives to a parent, to train and manage and care for such a be- ing ? Is it not reasonable that a sense of responsibility should be deeply fixed in theporent's mind,-an anxiety lest he should be wanting in the duty committed to him to do, and the pre- cious jewel under his charge be marred or lost, through his ignorance, or negligence, or mismanagement ? And should not L solemn reflection often recur to him, " I am entrusted with the care and the training of a being who is to live for ever ?" Assuredly there is no ground for the notion, which some parents would fain take up in order to lessen the pamful sense of responsibility, that it is comparatively little winch parents can do, tomake or mar that which is entrusted to them. It is not so. Assuredly it is not so. Marvellous is that union, which by the ordination of Providence exists among •i •i • xnon, and the influonco which they exercise, over the tem- poral happiness and the moral principles of one another. Strong and permanent in its results, especially, is that influ- ence which a parent exercises over his child. The child is so entirely in the parent's hands. Ho is so completely subject to the parent's will. He is so dependent on his pleasure* Ho is so open to the force oi his example. He is so accessible to the planting of those principles which the parent ap- proves. Ho is so ready to adopt the maxims that are stamped with the parental sanction. Ho is so likely to fall into tho habits of tho household in which ho is reared. Let no parent imagine for a moment that he can be simply harmless. That, his position renders altogether impossible. His influence, his precepts, his authority, his example must tell in one direction or another. What the future man, the fu- ture immortal, shall be, is assuredly very closely connected with the training and treatment which he receives at the pa- rent's hands; and every parent therefore should take the deep- est interest in the question, how the work of moral and reli- gious education can best bo begun, and be most effectually ac- complished. In shortly considering this question, suffer me first to guard you against attaching too limited a meaning to the word 'edu- cation.' To many minds that word conveys only the idea of imparting and receiving knowledge. And so, whenever it is mentioned, it conjures up a vision of books, and teachers and schools, and colleges, the necesr-ary means, as is supposed of all good or valuable education. Now beyond all doubt, the imparting of knowledge is one part, and a most im- portant part of education j and he docs good service, who . ♦ cither points out, what knowledge is the most vahuahlc to bo obtained, or the means by which such knowlcdiro may be most conveniently and successfully communicated. But the word 'education' has a far more extensive signification than tho mere communication of knowledge to the mind. That is but one branch of education,— teaching. There is another equally, nay more important,— training. Between these it is very ne- cessary we should distinguish. To teach is to communicate knowledge, to tram is to establish habits. To teach a child duty is to shoio him what is right. To train up a child in duty is to make him do ivhat is right. It would be preposterous to un- dervalue either of these, when both are necessary. A child must be taught. He must be made to know what is required of him. But tho teaching will avail little, if it is no^ followed by training ; if after tho child knows what is required of him, ho is not" made to do it, and so regularly and constant- ly, that it shall become easy, natural, nay even necessary for him to do it. However clearly, by teaching, a soldier bo made to comprehend what is the exercise required of him, it will avail little, unless by training, he be also accus- tomed to go through that exercise. And so, with moral teachers. However clearly, by teaching, you make a child know his duty, it will avail little, unless by training, you iniuce him to do his duty. By teaching you may comm ond yourself to his understanding and his conscience, and this it is well to do: but tho impressions you make on these will speedily pass away, unless by training you establish in him the habit of acting according to the impressions which he has received. It is only this second part of what is included in the term " Education," that I mean at present to moddlc with. What tloclrinos of morals or religion should bo taught to chiUlron ; nnd how thoy should bo taught ; and by whom thoy should bo taught, arc all important questions. But thoy would scarcely bear discussion here. And any views, which any individual might give forth on them, would bo likely to run counter to the established opinions of others. Wo keep therefore to what wo may call a more catholic view of the subject, and in giving rules for early moral and religious education, we shall deal only with those general principles, which must bo held alike by all, however different in religious profession or opinion. Among these rules, one very important, and very likely, it should seem, to be acceptable to all concerned, is that children should, as much as possible, be made happy. There are two grounds on which wo are warranted to consider this a wise and right rule. » The first is, the purpose of Providence that child- hood should be happy ;— a purpose plainly indicated by the provision which has been made to render it happy. Chil- dren are indeed so constituted, that they will enjoy a largo share of happiness, unless very unfavourable external cir- cumstances interfere to prevent it. There is in the young mind a well-spring of gladness, from which, unless some nox- ious element be cast into it, to embitter and poison it, the streams of happy enjoyment must and will flow. Now that, for which such provision is made, we may safely conclude to be urgent and necessary. Nor can it be other than our duty to further and protect that provision, as far as wo have tho means of doing so. u The second reason, why we should consider the rule laid down, wise and reasonable, is to be found, in the happy con- sequences which flow from it ; Is to be found in the fact, that in a happy childhood, those virtues of character, those good and kind and pious affections, by the existence and steady exer- cise of which, the true happiness of moral creatures can be most effectually secured, spring up most readily, and thrive most luxuriantly, and acquire most of strength and perma- nency. This is a matter of experience, — insomuch that we can say, not only, that provision has been made for the happiness of childhood, and that some good end must bo served by it, but we ran say, this good end it does actually servo. It is amidst the happiness which God has provided for childhood, that good principles can most easily be implanted, and che- rished. Indeed it is mainly by cruelty and injuitice, or by that foolish indulgence, which afterwards requires, and indeed leads of necessity, to what in the child's apprehension at least* is cruelty and injustice, that childhood is rendered rnserable. And it is obvious that the feeling of being subjected to cru- elty and injustice, necessarily gives rise to evil and unhappy tempers, and keeps them in that habitual exercise, which is so injurious to all moral principle. Thee needs be no hesitation then, in laying down the rule, that children, in whom we desire to lay the foundation of moral and religious character, should be made, or rather should be kept, as happy as possible. There may be mistakes, how- ever, in the application cf this rule. There are two ways in which a parent may seek to comply with it. The one is in- dulging, tho other is controlling his child. The one is for the 9 parent to submit to the child. The other is for the child to be be made subject to thr parent. The former of those ways is as we all know, tried often. It appears the most natural, the most direct, easy, straight- forward way to the accomplish- ment of the end. Indulge all a child's wishes, it is thoughti and surely that will make the child happy. Perhaps it might. But it can never be put to the test, whether ii, would or not. There is a limit put to the parent's power, which totally pre- vents such an experiment from being tried. It is not given to any parent to indulge all his children's wishes. These wishes speedily extend far beyond what he has it in his power to gratify. There ii indeed one experiment, which may bo tried, and which often is tried, — to gratify all a child's wishes as far as the parent can. And what is the result of tliis ex- periment ? Why always the same result, that of making tho child capricious, self- willed and wretched. So unvarying is this result, that no parent it might seem, truly seeking his children's happiness, would be foolish enough to seek it in that way. The truth is, however, that parents so indulgent are not solely, nor even chiefly animated by a regard to the happiness of their children. They are animated much ir ^re by a selfish regard to their own immediate ease and convenience. They are not, and cannot be ignorant, that the best way to make their children happy, is to regulate and control them. But the wr.y of indulgence is for the moment easier, and so is preferred. It is as much their own indulgence, as the indulgence of their children which they seek ; and thus they contrive to sow the seeds of future misery, both for their children and themselves. For the truth of this, we may appeal to experience ;— tho 10 experience of all who have had opportunity of observing and comparing different families. In which family, supposing the parents to be alike kind and affectionate, — in which family is it, that the children are the happiest, and that the parents derive most happiness from iho children ? Is it where the will of the parent is weak and easily made to bow before the wishes and caprices of the children ? Or where the parent's will is strong and must be yielded to ; — where the parent's authority is re- cognised and established ; — and there is felt by the child not only the rightness, but the necessity of a prompt obedience to his every mandate. In which family is there most to be looked for of contentment, and most of the joyous merriment of childhood ? Why every one is constrained to pronounce in favour of the state of subjection, over that of rule on the part of the child. In the latter case, the child's wretchednesr is almost infallibly the result, — the very affection of the pa- rents leading to it. In the other the child's happiness is the result, — the steady though still affectionately exercised autho- rity of the parent leading to it. It is not, as every one may •know, who considers the matter, — it is not the mere tender- ness of parental affection which will make children happy. It is far more the wise and steadfast exercise of power over them, constraining tlieir wills to subjection and obedience. While the pining, the querulousness, the dissatisfaction, the endless caprices, the insatiable desires of children indulged and spoiled, necessarily destroy the comfort of the parents as well as their own. Keeping in view then, as an important end, in the moral cultivation of the minds of their children, that they should be made happy, parents must steadily contemplate the means, 11 by Vfhich that end is to be attained. If they do so, they will speedily perceive, that while they should endeavour to remove from their children, whatever would mar the enjoyment in- tended for their period of existence, and while they should continually exercise towards them the most kind and warm affections, they are bound, in seeking their happiness, to do it» as occasion requires, by restraint,— by denying desired grati- fications, — by correction and punishment,— by the steady, in short, and yet the kindly and affectionate exercise of authority. The ignorance alike, of children, and their naturally capricious inclinations require such restraint and control. The Divine government, it may be well to observe, is a parental government. And in the management of their own families, men may receive lessons from the government of Him, who is the Father and the Ruler of all the families of the earth. His end undoubtedly is to secure the happiness of his children. But in seeking that end he does not always indulge their wishes. He sometimes puts a restraint on them. He sometimes denies them. He controls and governs by fixed laws, — laws wise in their appointment, and steadily carried into execution. By these he puts on us a needful curb. And the more thorough our recognition of these laws, and the more complete our subjection to them, the happier ■we are. Now, so it should be with a parent, in the limited sphere in which he is placed. Happiness is the end ho should have in view, steadily and habitually,— the happi- ness of his dependent household. But this happiness he is not to seek by granting every wish as it springs up ; that indeed he cannot do ; nor even by granting every wish •which it id in his power to gratify j that he often should 12 u hot do ; but by laying down well-considered rules, and steadily and constantly enforcing them, by such reward and punishments as are within his power. Ho should endea- vor to imitate the system of the Divine government, in which nothing is capricious ; in which all proceeds on fixed rules. Nothing in the government of children is so hurtful as ca- price. To make them happy we must ourselves be guided by steady principle. But assuming, that the happiness of childhood is to be made a distinct end, and that such happiness is best secured, by sub- mission on the part of the child, a question arises for discus- sion, — and on which, for practical purposes, every hour of every day, a decision- must be come to. That is, how is such submission to be enforced ? On the sole ground of the pa- rent's will ? Or on that of reasons, to be made clear to the apprehension of the childreii? Is the parent's will to bo purely despotic, neither submitting to be questioned, nor condescending to vindicate itself, — or is the reason of the child, in every case, to be addressed, and an attempt made at least, to gain its concurrence ? There has been in the general mind some oscillation of sentiment, as to the answer which should be made to these questions. In former days, the principle of unchallengeable despotism, would have been most readily avowed. In these days, the principle of secu- ring obedience by addressing the reason. Each, howevei*, seems to involve an extreme to be avoided. The true course is to follow sometimes the one, sometimes the other. With respect to the latter of them, the plan of always addressing the reason, and carrying along with us the convic- 'I 13 tlons of children in favour of the Tightness and the ■wisdom of the course we recommend and enjoin, three things may be said. First.- -It is not always practicable. The reasons on which a parent grounds a command, or in virtue of which he enjoins some course of study or line of conduct, may be very good and sound and sufficient reasons. But they may be, and often they are, so complicated, so remote from the experience and apprehension of children, and they involve so many facts and considerations of which children are necessarily igno- rant, that to them thoy may appear quite weak and insuffi- cient. In point of fact, this is often the case. Every parent knows it to be so. And to limit the enforcement of obedi- ence to those cases, in which he could clearly and satisfactorily show to his children the reasons on which he grounded his command, would be to restrain the exercise of his authority, In the very cases, in which the future interests of his children do most imperatively require it to be exercised. But, Secondly, to address and convince the reason of chil" dren, evon when practicable, is not always convenient. It would require much time and patience, even in the case of commands, in respect of which the mind is quite open to reason. Indolence and wilfulness are sharp casuists, and apt at finding arguments. Now for such encounter of wits or even for such calm exhibition of reasons however good and satisfactory, there is not time or opportunity amidst the cares and the business of the world. For the smooth and peaceful discharge of the common duties of life, there must, at least, in multitudes of cases, be bei,%v en the superior and the inferior, and especially between the parent and the child? B 14 if \ I f n pimple command on the one hand, and prompt and unhesita- ting obodionco on the other. The Third thing to be said, about gaining the reason of children, is, that though it -were always couvcniont and always practicable, it would not always prove effectual to secure obedience. Men are not thcmiselvos always subject to reason. Is it to be expected that children will always be so ? How often does irregular and capricious inclination induce a man to take a course, which he perfectly well knows to be unrea- sonable and inexpedient. And is it to bo thought that reason ■will be more powerful with children ? It is plain, that if obe- dience is to be enforced at all, — in many cases, and these per- haps the cases of most necessity, the parent's will must come in as the " ultima ratio," and must be enforced, independent of any concurrence, on the part of the reason of the child. Still, to resort to that "ultima ratio," to the mere will of the parent, at all times, is certainly not to bo recommended. That would not be, to treat the child like a reasonable being. That would be, to leave the child's reason unexercised on matters of duty. That would be, to leave him without proper grounds for the regulation of his conduct, in future life, when he must cease to be under a parent's control. It would be treating him, rather as a slave, than as a son, and preparing him to be a machine, rather than a man. Some weaker minds might be bowed down, by such bondage, and might become the very unreflecting, unreasoning machines, which such treat- ment tends to make them. But others, and these perhaps better, higher and nobler natures, would be revolted by such treatment, and would resent it as tyrannical and unjust. Because no reason was ever given them, it would seem to i I 4 % 15 them that none cow7cZ be given, — and all the exertion to which they wore prompted, and all the restiaints which were put on them, would appear to bo only the annoyances of an unrea- flonable, unnecessary, and capricious tyranny. All this children, of course, will not so express, as we now do, and perhaps may never clearly express at all. -And yet we shall grievously mistake, if we suppose, that they are not alive to the feeling of it, or that the feeling does not lodge and rankle in their hearts, to the corrupting and injuring of their moral nature. \Vliat then is the medium between these two extremes, the latter of which is so injurious, and unsuitable to the rea- sonable nature of man ; — the former of which is in multitudes of cases impracticable, inconvenient, and ineffectual ? For an answer to this question, we may venture again, to refer to the conduct of the Divine government, a parental, as well as a wise and perfect government. On us, as the subjects of that government, a multitude of commands are laid, of various nature, and to which we are variously disposed. How then are we dealt with in regard of the reasons for these commands ? Is provision made in every case for the full and perfect exhibition, and explanation of these, to our minds : or arc those reasons often hidden from us in dark and inac- cessible mystery ? We all know, that the latter is the case, that often wo can but imperfectly scan the grounds of the divine procedure towards us, and often we cannot discern them at all. Is it so, then, with all our duties, and all our trials ? Does this darkness envelope the grounds and reasons of the whole of them ? Why, neither, we know, is this the case. Though it is not given to us^ to see the grounds of all tho divine procedure, towards us, it is given to us to see the 16 I i \\ i i V li I I grounds of some, and often of much of it. Though we can- not tell the reasons, why some things are laid on us, to do and to suffer, we can tell these reasons in the ease of other things. We have not the reason given us, for every thing. But w© have the reason given m for many things. And so much reason is either given us directly, or else rendered accessibl© to us, in respect of our course of moral discipline in the world, as to furnish abundant ground for the existence, and exercise of the sentiment of Trust, as respects the reasona- bleness of that which is left unexplained. Such is the method of the heavenly government. Much is revealed to us. Much is concealed from us. Yet enough is revealed to form a just and reasonable ground of confidence. Now thus it should be, and needs to be, in the little families over which men preside, even as in the great family, over which God presides. His treatment of us, is in this respect a model, for our treatment of our children. For many things which we enjoin, and enforce on them, reasons can be shewn, reasons, which even they can understand and feel, to be wise, and kind and good reasons. And those reasons we should take occasion from time to time to shew them ; not always and in every case ; but often, and in many cases ; — so often as to call for and justify trust, in those cases, in which reasons are not, and perhaps cannot be given j — so often, as to do away the impression that the parent's government is capricious and without reason ; so often, as to give rise to the conviction, in the child's mind, that there always is a reason, and a good and kind reason, whether it is stated or not. This is the right state of things in a well regulated family. In the child's mind, there should be full ani clear light, as to the grounds of . «' 17 many things, which the parent enjoins, trust as to tho rest, and a sense of the necessity of prompt obedience to all. Before leaving this part of our subject, there is one moro lesson, to which we may advert, and which may also bo gathered from the Divine government. The reasons of somo duty or trial, concealed till tho duty is performed, and tho trial endured, are sometimes afterwards explained and mado clear to us. We are not brought to the knowledge of thcso reasons, to induce us to do the one, or to bear the other. Tho one is required to be done, tho other to be enduroa, simply aa a matter of duty. But afterwards, reasons are shewn,— good reasons,— wise reasons ;— and these justify and call for trust, in eimilar instances, when it may be, in our present state of being, we are incapable of comprehending the whole grounds of the divine procedure. Now this, the human parent may> in his sphere, also do. He need not always state his reasons for a command, before it is obeyeJ, and for tho purpose of producing obedience. That obedience he may require, and enforce, simply on the ground of his own authority. But after the obedience has been rendered, he may explain hia reasons, and shew them to have been wise and good reasons. And this, that, as in the other case,— the case of tho heavenly government, there may be, in regard of multitudes of duties, and hardships yet to come, the full reasons for which the child cannot comprehend or appreciate, tho sentiment of trust,—- trust in the parent's wisdom and kind and good intentions. In the enforcement of obedience on the part of children, with tho view we have suggested, that, viz ; of securing their happiness, and in the way we have suggested, that, viz : in a*- 1 iM it i'l II 18 which reason is so much addressed as to satisfy in many cases, and to produce trust in all, one end is to be kept steadily in view, and one most important advantage will bo gained. That end, is the establishment of right habits, — habits, such as it is desirable should be formed and confirmed in the minds of children. There is no more familiar, and no more important law of our mental constitution, than tho law of habit, in virtue of which, by the mere frequent repe- tition of any act, even though it were at the first disagreeable, or difiicult, it becomes easy, natural, and so to speak, neces- sary to continue it. It is not easy to overrate the power with which this law operates upon all men, for good, or for evil. Nor should any one overlook, or disregard it, who is at all earnest in seeking his own intellectual or moral improvement. Especially is it to be taken advantage of in tho case of the young. I say, especially in their case, because in their case, the most can be made of it. 'n the minds of children, habits are still to be formed. Evil Ixabits easily, for that is sailing with the stream; you have wind and tide in your favor ; good habits with more difficulty ; for that is going against the stream. And tho one or the other must be formed. Man is born to bo, to a great extent, the creature of habit. That is the constitution of our nature. We cannot alter it. Nor should we seek to alter it, if we could. By the actions of every successive day, the child is establishing habits of one kind or another. His character Is being formed. And what is character, but a collection of habits of different kinds, mental and bodily, moral and intellectual? This process, it is competent for • ' I * I * ir 10 a parent to modify, to guiJo, but not to stop. It must go on. The chiW must acquire habits, habits of indolence or exertion, of virtue or of vice, habits favourable or un- favourable to tho existence, power and prevalence of moral and religious principle. And these habits will pre- vail over any mere teaching. Good habits will resist temptation, far more than mere knowledge of the danger of yielding to temptation. And evil habits present a much more formidable obstacle to moral improvement, than mere ignorance. Surely then, if we would conduct aright the moral education of children, wo should consider what habits should bo established, and exercise all our influence, and all our authority, to have them established. It is miserablo to see a parent contented to make his child A;noio,— know moral duty, or religious duty, as if knowledge were enough, as if knowledge, in the case of either young or old, were always accompanied with corresponding practice. It is miserable to see a parent contented with a machinery, that is only designed for the giving of knowledge,, moral and religious, and leaving habits to the mercy of chance and cir- cumstances. It is miserable to see the whole attention di- rected to teaching, and no due thought, care, or attention paid to what by the law of our nature is as important, training* Doing is more important than knowing. If a child is permit- ted to do evil, a habit is established, against which any know- ledge that can be given him, will contend but feebly. What- ever we wish him to be, we must mak e him, by repeated acts, on his part, establishing a habj^^^^^^Vi^^on. With this view, submississioi course of conduct which we aJ)roye, I ^L^SSil. P«.f'y : I, Hi 20 evil habit should bo checked, by punishing not tho tenth or twentieth doparturo from tiiat course, but tho first. Punish* mont is often more grievous to tho parent than to tho child. That is tho reason, why it is often remitted, when for tho good of both, it should bo inflicted. But punishment, early and promptly inflicted, needs never bo so grievous. For it needs never bo so severe. It is, when a habit has to bo con* tended with, that most severity is required. And to avoid tho necessity of sucli severity, or else, as tho only alternative* the allowing his children in evil, it is tho parent's wisdom to contend against tho formation of an evil habit, by chocking tho first outbreakings of an evil temper; and better, and more eflbctually still, by forming good habits, in his chil- dren, and, so exorcising parental authority, as to mako them do often, what it is desirable, they should do always. la this way, moral habits will bo formed, and a moral character which will not easily bo destroyed. But we spoke also of an advantage to bo gained, as well as an end to be kept in view, in the enforcing obedience, 80 as to promote htippines?, and produce trust. Tho advan- tage is, that thereby we lay most deeply and surely, the foundation of religious sentiment and character. To mako this appear, let us consider what are tho main elements of religion. They are aflectionato reverence to a superior, and tho submission of tho will to tho will of a superior. By whatever means, tho feeling of reverence, aflectionato reverence, is cherished, in the mind of a child ; by what- ever means, the habit of submission, implicit, yet trustful and confiding submissiin, li strengthened in the mind of a child;— by that a-^ans, U tiio child prepared for afterwards 31 feeling, and acting, m a religious being. Deepen tho feeling, confirm tho habit, and they may afterwards bo transferred, from a visible to an invisible, from ftu earthly to a heavenly superior. This feeling, and habit, consti- tute the foundation, of tho religious character, whatever be the peculiar nature of the religious doctrines which are entertained, and believed. To excite the one, and to form tho other, ia essential to religion under every system. But this, wo do, when complying with the rules, which have now been laid down for tho early moral culture of children. And observe, how soon it may be done,— how early and yet how efficiently, a parent may engage, in tho religious, educa- tion of his children. It is evident, that the feeling of affec- tionate reverence may bo cherished, and the habit of submis- sion formed, long before it is at all possible, to present tho truths of religion to tho mind of a child ; long before it ia possible to explain to him the nature of God, or to give him any adequate conception, of what God requires. It is a hopeless attempt, to make a mere infant understand, what is meant by the word God, or to feel his obligation to obey the will and the commandments of an invisible Being. But it is not on that account hopeless, to prepare,— effectually and judiciously to prepare the child, for reverencing that God, of whom at the time he does know, and can know nothing ; and for yielding obedience to an invisible Governor, when he is able to understand and to feel, that such a Governor there is. To effect this, it is only necessary, that his affec- tionate reverence should be called forth, and his implicit obedience enforced, to a seen superior. For a time, the parent is, and must be, as a god to the child. AH the reve- 22 rencc, affection, submission, of vhich the child is capable, must be exercised toward the parent. The raore the parent, by his consistent and affectionate exercisD of authority, calls forth to himself, the affectionate reverence of the child, and tlie more constantly ho enforces the sidimission of the child's will, to his will, the more wisely ho is conducting the work of religious education. When such a feeling and such a habit exist, then religious truth has the original a:iJ eiiementary principles, to whicli it may address itself, and on which it can act with effect, directing them to proper objects, and stimulating them to more vigorous and lively exercise. And the child that has yielded, religious Bubmission, for so we may almost call it, to tlio earthly pa- rent, is more prepared to render it also, to the heavenly They who can truly sa}-, " A father'is voine, with reverence we, On earth have often heard ; " arc the most lilicly to yield to the claim, while tliey add, " The Father of our spiiits now. Demands the same regard. " So much do we feel this to bo the case, that were tho question proposed to us : how may children best be trained up, as religious beings, and to be religious beings ? we should not hesitate to give for the answer, as both containing plain truth and most truth, — by making them love, reverence, and obey their parents, from their very infancy. Let the parent eeo that his conduct be throughout such as is fitted to secure respect. Let his authority be unresistingly main- tained, and while ho is thus performing only a very obvi- 23 0U3 duty, about wltlch there Langs no mystery whatever, he may feel assured, ho is laying in the minds of his children the most stable foundation, for religious character. True, he i^ not to stop, with making his chiklren reverence and obey himself. He is to go on, as far as ho is able, to to make them reverence and obey God. But having taught them to reverence and obey himself,he has accomplished an important part of the work. And even though ho should stop there, blamoablo as ho would, of course, be, he would rcidly have done more for the religious character of lu3 children, than could ever bo effocted, by a parent, whoso capricious conduct makes him despised, or whose unstable will causes liis commands to be disregarded, though he should make trial of all tlio systems of education, which man's wis- dom ever devised, or though ho should instil into the minds of his children, all the reli-ious knowledge, which it is pos- sible to make them comprehend. It is necessary however, to observe, that to call forth such feelings of affectionate reverence, to produce such habits of trustful submission, the parent must himself be affectionate, and his whole conduct and deportment must be such, as to secure respect,— and respect, bo it remembered, from the keen- est, from the closest, from the most sharp-sighted of all obser- vers, as a man's own children, without knowing it, or think- ing of it, really are. Nor must his authority be other than NTisely exercised, and unremittingly maintained. As infoncy passes into childhood, childhood into youth, this becomes the more imperatively necessary. Children are to honour their parents. To honour them. It is an emphatic word, imply- in'' to love and reverence and obey. But that parents may 24 liave their children honour them, they must see to it, that they be themselves worthy to be honoured ; that there be that, in them, and about them, which their children cannot but respect and love ; that in short, there be that union of warm affection, and prudent consideration, and steady moral and religious principle, which is fitted to call forth the com- plex sentiment expressed in the emphatic "honour," of the Decalogue. How can parents expect to bo honoured, if they are unAvorthy of honour ? Do they imagine that their children will be blind to their defects and their follies ? Do they suppose, that the proper sentiment will spring up in the minds of their children, without the corresponding qualities in them, to give rise to it. Nay, verily. If they would have their children honour them, they must act in such a way, as to lead them to do so. It is the wise and reasonable law of Providence, that a parent cannot do his duty to his children, or expect that they shall do their duty, as becometh children, unto him, unless, he be himself doing his duty to the Great Parent of all. It is the want of right principles, and of proper self con- trol, and self government, in the parent, that renders the moral and religious education of children so difficult of ac- complishment. That very rule, which it would seem, is so much in accordance, with all the natural desires of a parent's heart, — that he should seek to make and keep his children happy, is for these reasons often disregarded. It is not that parents are wanting in natural affection, but that they are not careful, so to control their own tempers, as to avoid giving a great deal of trouble and misery, to those who are about them, and to their own children among others, or 25 rather perhaps more than others. Self-government, and self-control, aro essential, to the right moral training of children. Without those, the parent will appear to his children to bo, and indeed, will often really be, cruel, ty- rannical, and unjust. And ho will, by the manifestation, of these tempers, not more certainly destroy the enjoy- ment, than he will corrupt the moral nature of his children. Parents are not to shrink from the infliction of pain upon their children, when it is necessary. But then it is only when it is necessary, — when the pain is to serve a distinct purpose ; a wise and good and merciful purpose ; when it is, in short, to prove a means of preventing or of rendering less likely, greater and longer continued suffering afterwards. All suffering inflicted by the parent, without this intention is unnecessary and unjust, and will have the effect of calling forth and establishing evil tempers, in the minds of the children. Again, therefore, we repeat, that to deal well, and wisely, and effectually, with the moral nature of his children, the parent must be seeking continually the impro- vement of his own. And that he should so deal with the moral nature of his children, how much is there to urge him ? I began this lecture, by alluding to parental responsibility. I cannot con- clude it, without again recurring to the same subject. That responsibility is groat, in proportion to the power which ^ parents possess ; to the influence which they may ; — nay> which they must exorcise. Of that power and influence, it is not easy to overvate the extent. No government is so absolute as the parental government. No authority is so irresponsible to any earthly tribunal, as the parental authority. .1. 26 Within his narrow circle, and among the youthful subjects whom providence has put under him, a parent may without challenge of man, exercise a despotism, more^ grinding and intolerable, than any tyrant ever exercised over a subject state. His power can do more to corrupt, to injure,, to make wretched. On the other hand, it is also more efficient for good. He can do unspeakably more to improve ; to imbue with right principles; to establish right habits; to make provision for future comfort and happiness. Can there fail to be a heavy responsibility, 'connected with the exercise of such a power as this ? We have already spoken of the indefeasible arrangements of the Divine Providence,by which, the different members of our species are bound together, and rendered depend- ent and influential, for good or evil, on one another, Such dependence is often sufficiently startling ; and because of the results to which it loads, to us inexplicable. Never certainly is it more so, than in the case of the children of a cruel, capricious, tyrannical and unprincipled parent. How absolute is their dependence! How bitter the tyranny, which the parent may exercise ! How much the misery ho may create! But that is not all. The mischief he can do, is not merely temporary, and as regards the body. lie corrupts the mind. He instils, ho strengthens, he exercises •evil passions. He is an active instrument in establishing in thelicarts, of his children, that reign of evil, which, for any thing he can tell, may be permanent and enduring. How inexplicable, how dark, mysterious and unsearchable, the constitution of things, by which the young and ductile mind js thus subjected to die government, and influence of one, all whose energies go to deprave and to degrade it ! How -t .1. 27 helpless, how deplorable, how, we might almost say, without liopo, is the condition of the child so placed ! It seems, as if he were doomed to ruin, and as if moral depravity, and all its miserable consequences, were his destined portion. It is not for us to complain of the plan of Providence. That no doubt is, and shall hereafter be made to appear, the best of till possible plans. Nor may we doubt for a moment, how- ever awed, and saddened by such reflection, that the Judge of all the earth both has done, and will ever do, what is vight,— thAt ho will not exact what he has not given— and that he will take fully into account, the circumstances, in which his creatures, have any of them been unavoidably placed. It is a more pleasing subject, however, with which, to conclude, and on which, to allow our thoughts to rest, the power of parents for good, and the honour, comfort and reward of rightly discharging parental duty. It is with this duty, as it is\-ith all duty. There is a satisfaction in doing right, even when it is difficult to be done. And there is a satis- faction in remembering what has been done right, which is itself, a great reward, to a good man. And there are happy consequences, to which, in the course of providence, duty, rightly performed, naturally leads. And these happy conse- quences, are not in our case, to whom life and immortality have been brought to light, limited to this world. It would require a whole lecture, instead of a concluding paragraph, to set forth fully, how profitable in each of these respects, is the duty of rightly training the young. What satisfacdon can bo greater, or purer, than that which a parent enjoys, when he sec. iu his childrens' after life, the ,yaaKiM:iJmimi^>l 28 dcvelopement of tlio good principles, which ho was at pains to implant in them, in their youth ; when he witnesses the respect wliich these principles gain for them, and the liappiness and hope, which they yield to them ? What greater reward, than to perceive such result of his early training of the youth- ful spirit, would he desire to have hbro ? And hereafter, in another life, the reward will be increased. Even in the very work itselfjthcre is a satistaction. Every well constituted inind feels it to be pleasant. It is pleasant for a man, to see any work rising under his hand ; a garden for example, with its useful plants, its gay and graceful flowers, each springing up in its season, each displaying its own peculiar beauty, and all the result of care and taste and management* without which the little paradise had been an unsightly waste. But what garden is like a man's own family, or what flowers can rival in beauty, those that may grow up there'? To see in one's own children, the rise of generous sentiment, the struggle with evil passions, and the victory of principle, the glow of virtuous resolution, the tear of pity, the emotion of piety, and to think that we are employed as instruments to produce all these, Avhat can give pleasure, to any heart, that is not uttc/ly depraved and degraded, if this does not ? One word only, in conclusion. The close, continual watch- fulness, both as respects body and mind, vrhich children need* it is the mother's part, as well from her more affectionate nature, as from her better opportunities, especially to exercise. And every lesson, now given, and every encouragement, ap- plies Avith special force to her, in her work, — a work noble and holy indeed, when engaged in with a right spirit, and with right views. There are, who set the retired devotee, luat to secure her own well-being, has renounced the society 2D and intercourse of the -svorld, above the Chrbtian inotlior, who in seeking the salvation of lier cliiUlren, h working out hur own. But this is a judgment contrary to all sound })riiici- ple. Nor is there in all the earth a character, deserving of truer and deeper reverence, than that of a mother, who knows and feels, and performs the high duties laid on her. Not till the world's doom is sealed, and the day of the revelation of all things has come, shall it be known, how*iiuch of all, that ill the world's history, has contributed to the happiness of men, and the glory of God, has been owing to the eftbvts and prayers of mothers, whose names the world never knew, and who never desired, that the world should know them. • > I