looked to the aged head of the
family, listened to his counsels, and were guided by his wisdom. Hence
the first form of the state was the tribe or clan, and the first form
of government was _patriarchal_. The head of the family governed the
tribe. (_b_) On the death of the patriarch it was necessary that a
successor should be appointed. Sometimes he was the son of the
patriarch or his nearest descendant. Sometimes he was chosen by the
tribe as the strongest and bravest man and most competent to lead them
against their enemies. Often tribes combined for mutual protection.
Thus nations were formed, and the government passed from the
patriarchal to the _monarchical_ form. The head was called the _king_,
which literally means the "father of a people." We trace this growth
in government in the history of the Israelites. First, we have the
family of Israel in immediate relation with the patriarchs. As the
Israelites grew and multiplied, they came under the leadership of
Moses, who governed the tribes. Finally, when they settled in the land
of Canaan, they became a nation, and were governed by a king. The
kingdom was the expansion of the family. (_c_) In modern times there
has been a further development. Government by a king or monarch was in
the first instance _despotic_. It is so in some cases--as in Russia at
the present day. The will of the sovereign is the law by which the
people are ruled. But just as a wise father relaxes his control over
his full-grown sons, and admits them to a share in the government of
the household with himself, so the people have in modern times been
permitted to exercise power in the state. The head of the state
remains, but the main power of government lies with the people. This
form of government is called _constitutional_. In Great Britain we
have a _limited monarchy_; the power of the sovereign is controlled by
the will of the people, who have a large share in making the laws. In
the United States of America, in France, and in other countries, we
have _republics_, where the voice of the people is supreme, though at
the head of the state is a president, elected by the people, and bound
to carry out their wishes.

As the state is the larger family, the duties of those who compose it
correspond with those belonging to the members of a household.

1. There is the duty of loyalty or patriotism. The first duty of the
member of a family is love of home and of those who belong