to be kept long at school, is the boy of weaker capacity to be sent off, though still of tender years, to some manual labour, when the light of knowledge is only just beginning to dawn upon his mind? Is the lamp which God has given him to guide him through life to be carelessly left unlighted; or when the fire is just beginning to catch, is it to be ruthlessly extinguished? Surely it is a true proverb, that "for the soul to be without knowledge, it is not good." Knowledge is more precious than all the gold which the world contains; and the parents who send forth their child without it, whether that child have ten talents or only one, do so, not to their honour, but to their disgrace and condemnation.

How gratifying it is to see parents straining every nerve to make their children comfortable and happy,-denying themselves cheerfully in order to keep their young charge long beside them, and to supply them sufficiently with the means of knowledge, and at length putting them out well matured in body and mind to fight for themselves the battle of life! With the sight of such noble efforts, so fitted to bring down blessings from heaven, we have had the happiness in this country to be long familiar. is conduct like this universally exhibited?

But

Are

not the risks which infants run, and the injuries, temporary or permanent, which they suffer, through the carelessness of mothers—are not the hungry looks, and shivering bodies, and comfortless homes, caused by indolent and intemperate fathers are not the little hands. put to earn a few pence daily by unnatural guardians are not the precious souls which have been cruelly left uncultivated,―melancholy spectacles which are too common in the world, and which even in our own country are far from being unknown? Can society be in a healthy state as long as, at its very core, it is thus disfigured? Can happiness reign universally in a land as long as there is so much in it to bring down the curse of Heaven?

Again, it is the duty of parents to take the government of their children's conduct, and to train them for the faithful service of God. “Train up a child in the way he should go," says the Scripture, "and when he is old, he will not depart from it." "A child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame." "Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight to thy soul." "Bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." How is this government, so essential to their temporal

and eternal wellbeing, to be carried on? How is it to be managed so as to lead to the greatest amount of success? All other governments in a country would be easily conducted, if that which God has established in this smallest and simplest of societies-the family-were everywhere distinguished for wisdom. Sons and daughters untaught to reverence authority, and to bend their wills to the lessons of order and righteousness, cause the most difficult problems with which legislators and judges have to deal, and contribute largely to swell the vast number who go down to ruin.

What, then, are the elements of that family government, upon the right management of which so momentous interests depend?

Example is the first and most powerful influence for good or for evil. It is so everywhere, but in the family more decidedly and effectually than anywhere else. Children are quick learners by imitation before they understand, and even after they can fully understand your teaching they follow far more readily your practice. Let them see and hear, therefore, only that which is good. Let your lives from morning to night and from week to week be patterns of excellence. When they begin to read the lessons

of wisdom and righteousness, let them see the same beautifully illustrated on the open page of your daily conduct. When your conduct is inconsistent, your instructions may be many and valuable, but you accompany them with a curse. You sprinkle the poison of your bad example upon the good food which you had prepared. Lessons of meekness, illustrated by habitual exhibitions of anger and strife lessons of humility, illustrated by displays of pride and vanity-lessons of temperance, illustrated by a life of intemperance lessons of charity, illustrated by manifestations of selfishnesslessons of economy, illustrated by habits of waste and extravagance,-are not the agencies which are to reform and to regenerate the world. When your children see that your religious principles sit loosely upon you,—that you can put them off and on with the utmost readiness-that you can be careless with the careless, and apparently strict with the strictthat you can read God's Word or neglect it— that you can pray to God or neglect prayer-— that you can keep the Sabbath-day holy or profane it-that you can go to God's house or forsake it, those whom God has given you to govern will either despise your religious profes

sion or take it up as lightly as yourselves. They will walk in your footsteps, instead of walking in the way in which they should go.

What can a child think, if he is debarred from that as sinful, in which he sees his parents habitually indulge? Is it to be wondered at that he should feel as if the chain of a slave were dragging behind him, when, instead of being led by the cords of love, instead of being animated and encouraged by the example of those whom he is called upon to obey, he is driven to perform his round of duties, from which they in some unaccountable way seemed to be freed? Are the roots of sin by this method of treatment eradicated, and are the heavenly dispositions of love, and kindness, and cheerful obedience implanted in their stead? Is his temper improved by this treatment? he not rather provoked to wrath thereby? wonder if it not unfrequently tempt him to run rapidly to ruin when his chain is loosed and he finds himself at large amid the allurements and pleasures of the world.

Is

No

Above all things, therefore, let your example be consistent with your religious profession, if you would see your children walking in the ways of righteousness. You cannot expect the best

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