THE BIBLE IN HOUSEHOLD DUTY—THE FAMILY CIRCLE.
“This Book of books I’d rather own
Than all the gold or gems
That e’er in monarch’s coffers shone—
Than all their diadems;
Nay, were the seas one chrysolite,
The earth a golden ball,
And diadems all the stars of night,
This Book were worth them all.
“Yes, yes, this blessed Book is worth
All else to mortals given;
For what are all the joys of earth
Compared to joys of Heaven?
This is the guide our Father gave
To lead to realms of day—
A star whose luster gilds the grave—
“The light, the life, the way.” Friends, parents, teachers, children, do you take the blessed Bible, and embrace it, clasp it to your bosoms as Heaven’s best gift? Is it your delight, your counsel, your hope, your joy, your exceeding great reward? Do you embrace it with your whole heart, saying, “Oh, how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day;” “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path?” “What glory gilds the sacred page,
Majestic like the sun!” Fathers, mothers, are you influenced by this Book of books in family government, in “rearing the tender thought,” and fixing right principles? Do you open this sacred volume reverentially, morning, noon, at even-tide, in your closets, at the family altar? Do you impart instruction from this heavenly guide to your little ones, rising up, lying down, going out, coming in? Parents, beloved, do you teach the words of the living God diligently to your children? Talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, when you lie down and when you rise up? Do you bind them for a sign upon your hand, place them as frontlets between your eyes, “write them upon the posts of your house, and on your gates” (Deut. vi, 7–9), that your offspring, like little Timothy, may become wise unto salvation from their early childhood? “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.” Whenever your sons or your daughters err in the least from virtue’s path, purity of thought, word, or deed, do you invariably point them to the “thus saith the Lord?” If ever they speak aught but truth in the heart, the inmost soul, in honest simplicity and godly fear, what now?—To the Light and the Life—the Book of books—the authority of the Infinite, the Omnipotent. Do you say to them what the law and the testimony saith, touching falsehood, deceit, or prevarication, that the slightest, minutest deviation from strict rectitude, honest integrity of purpose, and guiltless simplicity, proceedeth directly and uniformly from the devil, the old serpent, the father of all liars; and the awful doom which follows, the one follows the other, that “all liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone?” Rev. xxi, 8. Do your little ones ever manifest the least possible inkling of disobedience, self-will, or insubmission to wholesome parental discipline? do you immediately open the big book—the Book of books—and direct their attention forthwith to the fearful, awful, terrible, judgments denounced against children who honor not their father and their mother, that he “that curseth his father or his mother, shall surely be put to death.” “The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it!” Prov. xxx, 17. Are your children in anywise indolent, inactive, disposed to sluggishness, to habits of idleness or dissipation? Do you show them the mandate of high Heaven, what is recorded from the inspiration of the Holy One, touching idlers, those who cry, “Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep?” that “slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep?” “the desire of the slothful killeth him?” “Go to the ant, thou sluggard, consider her ways and be wise.” To the word omnipotent, omnipresent, in every instance of non-conformity to the law of love, in great folks and little folks, to the law and the testimony at the slightest deviation from things pure, lovely, angelic, open the Book of books, hear Jehovah speak, the Lord of lords, King of kings. God’s authority is supreme, infinitely above all human authority or enactments; it settles all questions at once. When God speaks, let the earth tremble, “stand in awe, sin not”—all Heaven be silent. “Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the earth stand in awe of him.” Psa. xxxiii, 8. Once fix the idea of the terrible, merciful, gracious, glorious authority of the great I AM clearly and indelibly in the minds and hearts of children, and the work of discipline is measurably done, and well done. Would we train up the children aright, we must train them in accordance with the divine requirements. The man of our counsel must be the unerring word of truth. If we are Christ’s, we shall seek to measure our conduct by his word, and equally anxious should we be to measure, or to have measured, the conduct of our children by his word. Whatever parents may require, or whatever they may forbid, should be in conformity with the instructions given them by their great teacher—God. Let this be done, and let children see it, and feel it; and then how infinitely more easy it will be to induce them to walk in the right way! Yes, as much easier as it is to obey God rather than man. Here the authority is stamped with the broad seal of Heaven, and is as much higher than that of parents merely, as Heaven is higher than earth, as the authority of the Infinite, the Uncreated, the Eternal, is higher than that of finite, created beings of yesterday. Among the first lessons taught children from the Bible, those relating to parental obedience seem especially to claim attention. When the fact that God requires children to obey their parents is well established in their minds, a very important object is gained. Will they not listen with fearful attention, with filial confidence, when told that God says, “Hearken unto thy father that has begotten thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.” “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.” “Honor thy father and mother (which is the first commandment with promise), that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest live long on the earth.” “Children, obey your parents in all things; for this is well pleasing unto the Lord?” Then, when reminded that obeying their parents is not only right, but well pleasing unto the Lord, that with it is connected the promise of long life and well-being, and that disobedience is connected with fearful denunciations, when told these things, will they not feel that, with all the heart, they will seek to render cheerful and ready obedience? Parents, in training your little ones, take the Bible, begin with the Bible, keep on with the Bible, end with the Bible. Let the Bible be first, midst, last, always. “How pure the sacred words of truth!
The blessed Book to guide our youth;
Given by our Father and our God,
To guide to Heaven through Jesus’ blood.”
—Shining Light.