Genesis 18:19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD… A well-ordered, godly household is among the noblest triumphs of our Christianity. I. Let us first consider the duties of parents to their children in the years of INFANCY AND CHILDHOOD. The first anxiety of the parents will be about the infant's reception into the Church. And it is a question of no light or ill-considered moment with the pious parents to determine who shall undertake for the child in that holy sacrament; who, in the event of their own early removal, would be most likely to enter into the responsibilities and sanctity of sponsorship, and so give a practical reality to that orphan's promise, "When my father and my mother forsake me, the Lord will take me up." I shall presume to offer suggestions to mothers bearing on the treatment of children in their very earliest years. 1. Thus I exhort you to begin cultivating, even in infancy, the principle of prompt and unquestioning obedience. 2. Passing, however, from the infant stage to that commonly designated as childhood, I proceed to offer some suggestions on the best mode of cultivating the religious affections at this period. 3. But, in connection with the formation of the religious character in childhood, we must consider how far it is expedient to impress upon the mind at this tender age anything of stated and compulsory attention to the practical duties and exercises of the Christian life. II. But let us proceed to consider the duties devolving on parents towards their children at the second stage, or the PERIOD USUALLY ASSIGNED TO THEIR SCHOOL LIFE. But, in relation to the treatment of children at this period of life, the point which of all others will be found to task parental judgment and discrimination most is how to order the discipline of correction or reproof. The discipline itself must, of course, begin from the very earliest period. Let us see what forms of correction seem to be here forbidden. 1. Thus the language may be taken to forbid all angry and intemperate correction, 2. Again, these prohibitions of the apostles extend to that cold, distant, and forbidding demeanour which some fathers think essential to the maintenance of parental authority; but which, in effect, turns the reverence of children into slavish fear. 3. But these are negative directions. What suggestions are to be offered towards a plan of temperate, judicious, and yet firm and effectual correction? Of these some are obvious and general; as, for instance, that all correction be administered upon principles of the most righteous fairness. Again, it should always be apparent to children that you are driven to the use of correction by a loving necessity — by the affection you bear to their souls. 4. But a more important direction for the administering of reproof is to be given, founded on the law for dealing with offenders, laid down by our Lord Himself. "Moreover, if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone; if he shall hear thee thou hast gained thy brother." Here is an excellent model for parental reproofs. First, let a little time elapse after the wrong is done to give opportunity for reflection. III. The third class of suggestions to be offered on the duties which parents owe to their children has respect to the interval between the CLOSE OF THE EDUCATION PERIOD and the time when the parental roof is quitted, and entrance has to be made on the active duties of life. 1. And here the first subject of anxious thought to the parent will be a devout and earnest preparation for the rite of Confirmation. 2. A second counsel for this period goes to recommend a careful avoidance of all needless and irritating restrictions upon children; all tightly held reins upon their reasonable choice and liberty; all those offending reminders of an unmitigated and unlightened yoke which might tempt them to leave the parental roof before the time. 3. We may conclude with one other suggestion having reference to the choice of a calling for our children, or their ultimate settlement in life. (D. Moore, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him. |
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