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of God" argument says:— "If God is a father, he 

 is at least as good as the best earthly father." 



To which we reply : that the essential errors in 

 this argument are the assumption that because a 

 man does some things under certain circumstan- 

 stances,theref< >re God will do likewise ; and also the 

 assumption that God's ''fatherhood" includes no 

 higher functions than man's. If one will but 

 oast his eyes about him, he will not be long in 

 discovering that God. as our father, does many 

 things from which our earthly parent shrinks in 

 weakness and horror. 



Sufficient for the present line of argument is the 

 indubitable fact that domestic government im- 

 plies the authority of the parent and the obedi- 

 ence of the child. Where there is no authority 

 in the parent, it is because he is unfitted for this 

 august relation, and where authority reigns, dis- 

 obedience is followed by punishment, and this 

 punishment is commended by the good sense of 

 both parent and child, and the enlightened of 

 the community. 



Calvin Townsend says: — "This was the first 

 and the oldest human government. It is family 

 government, or that form exercised by the father 

 over his family. From the necessary relations 

 of a father to his household, this kind of 

 government is founded in nature. It existed 

 from the earliest before ages, long states and 



