Filial Duty, Or Parents' Claims And Children's Liabilities.

yet there are five years of famine , ) lest thou and thy household , and all that thon hast , come to poverty . " —Genesis xliv ., 9 , 10 , and 11 . And Joseph made ready his chariot and went up to meet Israel , his father , to Goshen , and presented himself unto him , and he fell on his neck and wept

on his neck a good while . — Genesis xlvi And Joseph nourished his father and his brethren , and all his father's household with , bread . —Genesis xlvii ., 12 . Jacob yielded up the ghost , and Joseph fell on his father's face and wept upon him and kissed him . — Genesis 1 ., 1 .

Here is a son , of whom it may be truly said ' He honoured his Father . ' Timothy strongly inculcates the doctrine so eminently taught by Joseph . " If , he observes , " any provide not for his own , and especially for those of his own household , he hath denied the faithand is worse than an infidel . "

, Instances have occurred in which persons have been conspicuous for their public gifts , notoriety being their aim , but who have cared so little for their parents and other relatives , as to have denied a recognition of their claims upon their country . Happilyhoweverthe number is not

, , large . There is something delightful , something so pleasing to the conscience , in the retrospect that is not marred , the recollection that is not embittered by remorse , by self-accusing reflection -educed by a contravention of the Divine ordinance

which requires us to honour our parents . After death has deprived us of onr earthly parents , incidents which were till then forgotten , every illnatured word or thought , every disobedient act , every unkind deed , appear in bold relief to the mind ' s eye . Death , like beat to sympathetic ink ,

revives impressions which time appeared to have oblivionised , thereby admininistering a stinging reproof . As reproof assails us , as such unpleasant thoughts haunt us , we are constrained to sigh for a return of bye-past time , or that we could unsay expressions and undo acts which must for ever

be occasion of grief to us . We recollect reading a childish narrative , which for its simplicity , the admonition and moral it conveys , may be appropriately transcribed to these pages . The delinquent , who may also be described the penitent , was a minister of the Gospel . He narrates the

facts himself , " I had , " remarked he , " one of the kindest and best of fathers , and when I was a little white-headed boy he used to place me before him on horseback , and thus convey me to school , and assisted me in my little plans , and always appeared to be trying to make me happy ; indeed ,

he never seemed so happy himself as when making me happy . I recollect that when I was about six years old , he came home one day ill , my mother being at the time ill , thus there was nobody besides my two sisters to take care of my father . In a few days he was worse , very ill , and all the doctors near us were called in to see him . The next

Sabbath morning he was evidently much worse . As I entered the room he stretched out his hand to me aud said ' My little boy I am very sick , I wish you to take that paper on the stand and run to Mr . Canton ' s and get me the medicine written on it . I took the paper and went to the

apothecary ' s shop , as I had often clone before . It was about half-a-mile off , but when I got there I found it abut , and as Mv . Canton livsd a quarter of a mile further off , I concluded I would not go to find him . I then set out for home . On my way back I contrived what to say . I knew how wicked

it was to tell a lie , but one sin always leads to another . On going into where father lay , I saw that he was in great pain , and though pale and weak , I could see groat drops of sweat standing on his forehead forced out by the pain . Oh , then I was sorry I had not gone and found the

apothecary . At length he said to me ' My son has got the medicine , I hope , for I am in great pain . ' I hung clown my head and muttered , for my conscience smote me , ' No father , Mr . Carter says he has got none , ' Has got none , is this possible ?' He then cast a keen eye upon meand seeing my

, head hang , and probably suspecting my falsehood , said in the mildest , kindest tone , ' My little boy will see his father suffer great pain for the want of that medicine . ' I went out of the room alone and cried , I was soon called back , my brothers and sister were standing round his bed , aud he was

committing my poor mother to their care , and giving them his last advice . I was the youngest , and when he laid his hand on my head , and told me that in a few hours I should have no father , that he would in a day or two be buried , that 1 must now make God my father , love him , obey

him , and always do right and speak the truth , because the eye of God is always upon me , it seemed as if I should sink , and when he laid his hand on my head , again and prayed for the blessing of God the Redeemer to rest upon me , ' soon to be a fatherless child , ' I dared not look at him ,

I felt so guilty . Sobbing , I rushed from the bedside and wished I could die , they told me he could not speak . Oh , how much would I have given to go and tell him that I had told a lie , and once more lay his band on my head aud forgive me . I crept in once more and heard the minister pray

for the dying man . ' Oh , how my heart ached , I snatched my hat and ran to the apotheccary ' s house and got the medicine . I ran home with all my might , and ran up to my father ' s bedside to confess my sin , crying ' here father , ' but I was hushed . I then saw he was pale , and that all were

were weeping . My poor father was dead , and in my last act was disobedience , and my last word to him a lie . His kindnesses his tender looks , and my own sin , all rushed upon my mind , and as I gazed upon his cold pale face , and saw his eyes shut , and his lips closeel , could I help thinking of his last words , ' My little boy will se ©