Price.] 314 [January. 



not been constituted with more humanizing tendencies and a more 

 trustful faith than man, religion could have had but little hold upon 

 mankind, and civilization would never have been. I say this with 

 the same deliberate carefulness of observation and thought, with 

 which the naturalist gives us the result of his careful observation of 

 what he describes in the animal kingdom. 



The family is indeed a divine institution, and beneficent in all its 

 influences. The first thought of it, in the mind of virtuous youth, is 

 highly educational, by impulses that are of Creative origin. As 

 sui'ely as that the pulsations of life have been given by the Creator, 

 so surely must have proceeded from Him the emotions that conduct 

 to the connubial compact; and these are, or should be, elevating and 

 refining. Youth has a quick perception of the comely in person, 

 graceful in manners, and perfect in moral excellence, and beholds these 

 qualities to admire and emulate them. And what they admire the 

 two sexes seek to be, that they may be acceptable to each other. 

 This saves the young man from the peril of degrading association; 

 and it is under the influence of love, and in obedience to its requisi- 

 tions, that man is inspired to dare and achieve. It is by this that 

 the world receives in the great aggregate, its mightiest onward im- 

 pulsion. Man, nor woman, would ever struggle, strive and achieve 

 as we witness, but to be united in happiness and to maintain and ele- 

 vate the family in comfort, respect, and honor. Without the family, 

 society would lose more than half its industry and enterprise; the 

 nation much more than half its resources and reliance for the main- 

 tenance of order and of good government. 



The law calls marriage a civil contract : it is not the less a religious 

 one, — religious, by the law of nature, and by the law divine. The 

 Holy Scriptures bestow upon it their highest sanction, and in all its 

 relations their terse and comprehensive commands. Have said of the 

 husband and wife, " They shall be of one flesh." Have given the 

 commands, " Husbands, love your wives ;" *' Wives, submit yourselves 

 unto your husbands." Have bid him remember that she is " the 

 glory of the man." They have said to the child, " Honor thy father and 

 thy mother;" to *' children, obey your parents;" to "fathers, provoke 

 not your children to wrath;" to servants, "count their masters worthy 

 of all honor ;" to masters, know " that your Master is also in heaven." 

 And Jesus called the little ones unto him, saying, "Of such is the 

 kingdom of heaven." Thus on every side all those who make the 

 family, are the objects of the Divine regard and protection. And on 

 this sacred authority, in living with our children, unless we have 



