rows both church and state. Hence the severe penalties attached, in
the Mosaic law, to disobedience of parental authority. "He that curseth his
father or 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." And hence also that
affectionate obedience which Joseph yielded to his aged father, and that
profound veneration with which he kneeled before him to receive his dying
blessing.

2. Filial obedience is the correlative of parental authority. If parents
have authority, children must yield obedience to it. This is not only
necessary to home-government, but also to the proper formation of the
character of the child. It must be trained up under law and authority to
prepare it for citizenship in the state. This must be the obedience of
confidence and love. It does not imply the subordination of the slave.

As the father's authority is not that of the despot, so the obedience of
the child is not that of the servile, trembling subject. It is not
unnatural,--no infringement upon the rights and liberties of the child. His
subordination to the parent is the law of his liberty. He is not free
without it. The home in which filial obedience is not yielded to parental
authority is "a marvel of permitted chaos," and will soon become desolate,
a scene of anarchy and strife. The members live in a state of lawlessness,
destitute of reciprocated affection,--the parent unhonored, the father and
mother despised and cursed, and the child untrained, uncared for, lawless,
and unfit for the state or the church.

If, therefore, God has constituted governmental relations in the Christian
home, and invested the parent with authority over his children, who will
deny the coordinate obligations of the child to yield reverence, submission
and gratitude to the parent? "Children, obey your parents in all thing's;
for this is well pleasing unto the Lord."

This is called the first commandment with promise. It is one of promise
both to the parent and the child. Children are bound to obey their parents
in all things, that is, in all things lawful and in accordance with the
revealed will of God. The child is not bound to obey the parent's command
to sin,--to lie, steal, or neglect the means of grace; because these are
express violations of God's law; and in such instances the authority of God
supersedes that of the pare