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and has been widening and waxing keener and keener ever since their day. Now an attempt is made by the world to lower the standard,—by the church, to raise it: by the world, to tone down holiness till it melts into sin,-by the church, to perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord. To reinforce the world's position, a thousand plausibilities are urged :—The loss of worldly advantages, or social position; the danger of over-strictness, or being righteous overmuch, are all pled that men may keep their homes as near the world's level as may be. But, on the other hand, some would see in their homes

"As much of heaven as heart can hold;"

and surely parents who love their children should thus take their place upon the side of heaven. If conscience be consulted with the Word of God for its light, there can be but one resolution in such a case on the part of every believer, and it is this:-Let the Word of the Lord endure for ever in my home, and everywhere besides. In a better spirit than Balaam's, that seer's words may then be employed— "If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more."

EXAMPLES.

It has been the complaint of some godly men, that even Christians are now rapidly adopting the maxims of the world in regard to the nurture of their children. It seems as if preparation for time were their aim, and not meetness for the inheritance of the saints in light. By a cruelty which wears the garb of kindness, young souls are thus exposed to jeopardy, or, it may be, enticed to ruin. They are schooled

mainly for earth: they are permitted to tamper with the equivocal, and walk along the verge of spiritual death.

In other cases, however, God's standard is set up.

was born in Leeds: his parents were religious: they trained him in the ways of righteousness, and did what they could to plant betimes the seeds of immortality in his soul. It was done with apparent success. As the parents felt the power of truth, and deferred to the supremacy of God, they trained C- to do the same, and he seemed to defer at least to their standard.

But his father died when the youth had reached his fifteenth year. He was then obliged to learn a trade, and with it he learned also the habits of a profligate. The standard of Home was no longer to his mind: he defied the restraints of a widowed mother, and fled from her vicinity that he might not be hampered by her urgency or example. For two years he led a guilty wanderer's life; but on one occasion, during his Sabbath orgies, he was invited by an aged believer to enter a house of God which he was passing, in the company of one as lawless as himself. The suggestion awoke for a moment the recollection of former days,— he complied,—and the sight of parents with their children worshipping their God did for him what swine-herding and hunger did for the prodigal in the parable. The past affected the present, and the wayward youth was reclaimed. Though he passed through a terrible struggle, he happily emerged at the side most distant from the City of Destruction, and eventually proceeded to Africa as a missionary, where he laboured to win souls as he had formerly tried to ruin his own.

Now, had the standard of that youth's home been a worldly one-had he been trained, like many of the rising race, in the

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world's way and not in God's-the sight of the worshippers in that Sabbath assembly would have been powerless over him. He could have beheld them without emotion, and passed away without any saving impression. But the echoes of the past floated back upon his soul-they entered it, like the music of our native land when heard in foreign parts. The standard set up in his home, and early imprinted on his memory, became a vivifying power-a moral fulcrum on which to rest a moral lever, and salvation was the result.

Another example might be found in the history of a certain Christian Seminary. It was the endeavour of those who presided there to regulate all by the heavenly standard, and, during the very first years of its existence, a goodly number of the young became hopefully decided for God. True, religion may be presented to youth tinged with the rigours of Sinai far more than the beatitudes of Zion. "Thou shalt not," may be constantly rung in the ears of the young, and may utterly supersede "Come unto Me;" or, "It is I: be not afraid;" or, "Rejoice, and be exceeding glad." But, in that case, the standard is not the Scriptural one, nay it is a counterfeit or a caricature, and what wonder then though youth be repelled? But, let the Divine standard be adhered to, "pure and simple." Let men just do with it what New Zealand mothers were wont to do with their children when they carried them to their idol temples, that "the spirit of the god" might there be infused. Then the blessing will be granted; for where the right standard is set upright results may be waited for in hope.

And we know not how soon. Mrs Huntingdon has recorded that such was the standard presented to her, that about the age of three she was obliged to face the question—

"Shall I give my heart to God?" and, though her decision then was "Not yet,” the right choice was made at last.— And President Edwards did not deem it beneath the majesty of his mind to describe the conversion of a child of four years of age, a child whom the heavenly standard had elevated, and made kindred with the spirit-world even while she dwelt on earth-such are the results which follow the believing use of God's truth. We should, therefore, attempt no unholy compromise with the world, nor ever try to buy its smile by bartering away any fragment of truth. God has not prescribed either too high or too low a standard; and there is happiness in the very attempt to be or to do what He has appointed in his word. A Home where the Bible is supreme is the only Christian one; and we approach the Christian standard only in proportion as the God of the Bible is enthroned and obeyed.

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CHAPTER VI.

THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF HOME.

A Parent's Position-A Family Group-Its employments-For what are Parents responsible?-Home should be Happy-The Happiness of Goodness-Not of masked Worldliness-The Priceless Freight-Promises Fulfilled-ExamplesJohn C.-Others.

THE position of a parent is one of the most responsible upon earth. In one point of view, he holds the destinies of two worlds in his hands. The souls of his children depend absolutely upon him. As their purveyor, he provides for them: as a friend, he counsels; as a guardian, he tends. The power which wields all these influences is surely great, and a parent's responsibility is in proportion to his power.

To illustrate this,—see a parent seated in the midst of his family. There are five, six, or seven immortal beings waiting to be prepared by him for eternity. They instinctively ask to profit by his experience, or share his gathered stores of wisdom. As long as they are not corrupted by sin nor blinded by passion, that parent's word is law; it is a sufficient authority for all facts, and a sufficient reason for all arguments. To question that father's word. were painful alike to the youngest and the oldest child. They may not yet have felt the force of the truth "thus saith the Lord," but "my father said it" is the ultima ratio of every well-conditioned Home.

Now, while this demonstrates the responsibility of the