visit, his pride overcame what natural affection he had, and he passed her ofï for a nurse. Unfeeling wretch! We almost wonder that a bolt of divine vengeance did not send him instantly into eternity to meet an angry God. We wonder that conscience did not drive him to despair as he reflected upon his cruel deed. If such bondage to fashionable society, and such fear of refined associates, is not consummate weakness, then humanity is never weak. I often meet that young man, but my soul shrinks from him as from a loathsome viper. All his graces have dwindled away in my eyes, and he walks the streets a specimen of hypocrisy. It will not surprise me if some terrible calamity befalls him. It will be a merited judgment. And if he tosses at last upon the burning billows of wo for nothing else, he will, if unrepentant, for breaking the Fifth Commandment.

Contrast with the above the filial regard of Archbishop Tillotson. His father was a poor, plain man; and on paying him his first visit after he was inducted into his high office, he inquired of the servant if "John Tillotson was at home." The servant supposing him a poor, unmannerly traveller, ordered him from the door; but the dean, recognizing the voice of his father, instead of ushering him into his house privately, ran out exclaiming to the surprise of his servants, "it is my beloved father;" and falling down before him craved his benediction. Noble example of filial attachment! We are constrained to feel in reading it that such a man is fitted for so high an office in the church. Had he treated his aged parent with the unfilial spirit of the young man named above, the title of Arch-sinner would have become him better than Archbishop.

It has been already intimated that a lack of filial regard betokens an evil heart. The truth deserves a careful consideration. The severe penalty may have been attached to the Fifth Commandment, under the Jewish dispensation, because of the great sins which unfilial acts prognosticate.

Insub

Disobedience to parents is often the beginning of a criminal, career. It is the seed of future and blacker vices. ⚫ordination in the family grows into insubordination in the state. He, who does not respect his parents, will not be likely to respect a ruler. He, who wilfully tramples upon the commandment, "HONOR THY FATHER AND MOTHER," will not hesitate, eventually, to disregard the whole ten.

It is recorded, that five persons were executed a few years since, one in Springfield and four in Boston; all of whom declared upon the scaffold, that their wickedness began in neglect or abuse of the filial relation. The Rev. Lewis Dwight, who is familiar with such statistics, says that “after faithful inquiry into the history of the numerous criminals confined in the prisons of the United States, in nearly all cases, their course began in disobedience to parents. The following is the language of a criminal awaiting his doom upon the scaffold. "My disobedience to parents has brought this misery upon me. My father gave me good instructions when I was a child, but I did not mind them. I would not go to school when he would have sent me. I would not go to a trade when he wished to have me. After my father died I would not obey those who had the care of me. I ran away from several masters. And now I have ran into the jaws of death." It is the thrilling language of a degenerate son's experience the outbursts of his sincere heart when he stood aghast upon the borders of eternity. Hear, then, the voice of miscry itself as it reveals the cause of its own existence! Listen, ye careless youth, to warnings that come from the very mouth of the pit-made solemn by the awful realities which await a guilty soul!

Such facts, which might be greatly multiplied, show that unfilial deeds are ominous of fearful reaches in transgression. Public opinion regards this recklessness, in respect to filial dutics, a sure omen of consummate future wickedness. The youth, or young man in any community, who prides himself

upon his disregard of filial duties, is an object of general suspicion. Mothers fear his contaminating influence upon. their children. The manufacturer dares not commit impor tant trusts to his keeping. The merchant fears to employ him in his traffic. The school committee receive complaints of his ill behaviour in school. Wanton depredations, committed in garden or orchard, are laid to his charge. In short he is an object of universal distrust, and men are not surprised to hear of almost any iniquity perpetrated by this family disturber. The fact shows that mankind really expect this sin in the household will lead to greater sins in the

state.

Hence, it may be laid down as well nigh a fixed fact, that when a son is heard to address his mother with disrespect, or to do or say anything in opposition to his father's counsel, he has the disposition to take upon his soul, at some future day, the guilt of enormous sins. It is a truth of fearful import, and ought to impress the minds of son and daughter, and arouse parents to avert, if possible, the evils which threaten.

When children arrive at manhood and womanhood, having the maintainance of aged and infirm parents, a wilful disregard of their filial duties provokes the unsparing censure of all lookers-on. Our common humanity recognizes here a duty, the neglect of which can be palliated by no excuse. No mantle of charity is broad enough to cover a sin of such great enormity. But such examples of filial degencracy are rare. Usually, on arriving at maturity, and becoming the heads of families, children hasten with overflowing hearts to bless the declining years of their parents. Then they begin to appreciate the kindness, love, care and solicitude, beneath whose reign their tender childhood was developed. It becomes a pleasure to solace the few-remaining days of those to whom they owe existence, to smooth their thorny pathway to the tomb, and prove faithful and

true to these filial bonds through all scenes of joy or sorrow, till parents lie speechless in the cold embrace of death.

It deserves to be borne in mind that the true character of a person is not what it appears to be in the community, so much as what it is in the family. Here the unlovely or shining attributes develop themselves unrestrained, and the person appears in his undisguised character. A disobedient son, or ungrateful daughter may appear in charming loveliness before a witnessing world. His or her intrinsic worth is not to be estimated by appearances abroad, but by the qualities which are prominent at home. Thus estimating moral character, deception will seldom mislead.

While lack of devotion to parents is ominous of future and greater evil, the opposite is ominous of future and augmented good. For filial love softens the heart and sweetens the disposition. It smoothes that common roughness of manner, and polishes that common asperity of character, which become revolting with advancing years. The son who sacredly keeps the commandment "HONOR THY FATHER AND MOTHER," is emphatically a "child of promise." There is needed no policy of insurance upon his morals to preserve him in the path of virtue. We ask no prophet's ken to descry the blessings that will crown his manhood. In this single virtue of his youth we may have the key to his future character. This antedates his future "rise and progress." This is the bright forerunner of a train of virtuous deeds :that will adorn his life- the angel-heralder of other graces which are sure to cluster around the faithful filial heart. Exceptions to this rule, dark and terrible, may arise; but we speak of what is generally true.

PROPER ATTENTION TO THE DUTIES OF THE FILIAL RELATION WILL NOT GO UNREWARDED. There is such a beautiful spirit evinced in this regard for parents, that without any practical demonstration, we should expect it would share the unqualified admiration of men. The Scriptures beautifully

exhibit this lovliness in the following figurative language. "My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother. For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck. Bind them continually upon thy heart, and tie them about thy neck." Like the costly decorations that are employed to increase the charms of the human form, so shall these parental counsels, faithfully lived, be as the bright embellishments of taste and art to win the admiration of men. Yea, they shall out last all that is rich and tasteful in artificial decorations; for the finery of gold and silver will tarnish, and jewels waste with material things; but these ornaments which adorn the soul are imperishable.

Enough has been said already to show that neither God nor man have been unmindful of this fidelity to parents. The glowing record that history makes of the faithfulness of Alexander and Washington to their mothers, shows with what benedictions this virtue is rewarded. The boy who stood upon the burning deck of a ship at the battle of the Nile, cried, amid the din of a thousand voices calling upon him to come away, “father shall I come?" But his father was already wrapt in the rushing flames, and the obedient boy waited for his bidding till he made his winding sheet a sheet of fire. Successive generations have paid a cheerful tribute of honor to the memory of the faithful boy.

In every age and nation we discover enduring memorials of the true in this sweet relation. The Chinese were wont to erect monuments, and rear triumphal arches in honor of children who distinguished themselves in devotion to parents. The ancient Greeks and Romans dedicated magnificent temples to those who ranked high for the same virtue. The Turks honor their mothers more than their wives. Their language is, "wives may die, and we can replace them; children perish, and others may be born to us; but who shall restore the mother when she passes, and is scen