tion of children, to which the efforts of parents should be specially directed;

To some of the measures to be adopted in the prosecution of these desirable ends; and

To some of the encouragements and motives to the faithful performance of this parental duty.

CHAPTER I.

I WILL call your attention to some particulars in the education of children, to which the attention of parents should be specially directed.

And here I remark,

One of these is, the habit of subordination.

Subjection to authority is

the ordinance of God; and if there is a sphere where it ought to maintain its perfect and unbroken influence, it is the family. The God of nature has subjected the years of childhood and youth to parental control; nor can this wise

and benevolent constitution be inverted, without jeoparding the best interests of our children for time and eternity. The habit of subordination is one of the happiest preservatives from a thousand evils. The spirit that consults a parent's wishes; that reluctates from violating a parent's authority; that prefers to sacrifice its own gratification, to a parent's choice; is not only one of the strongest shields that can be thrown around the youthful character, but forms one of the links in the chain that often leads to early piety. Though it is not every dutiful child that is pious, yet it is much more probable that such a child will become so, than one of an obstinate, unbending temper. "If it be true,

that there are more pious women than men, it is to be ascribed very much to this circumstance, that they are more habituated to restraint and subjection."

A sacred regard to truth is also a habit of the first importance to be instilled into the mind of a child. In this respect there is a great difference in the disposition of children. I have seen

those who rarely, if ever, told a falsehood; and I have seen those who seem to be born with a lying tongue. It is wonderful to see how the early habit of extravagant and false representations cleaves to the human character; and it is mournfully affecting to know how strong a barrier it throws in the way of holiness and heaven. Children should