allowance, he becomes an extortioner on his He learns to be extravagant

father's purse.

without compunction. He incurs a burden of debt, which he places on his father's shoulders; and he becomes discontented with the portion allotted to him.

Uncle, said George, shall I tell you what I thought of, when that Dick Johnson talked of what he allowed his mother?

Pray do.

You know that part of the Gospel, where our Lord speaks about the Jews making void the law by their tradition; who said to their father and mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever ye may be profited by me.

That passage deserves our careful consideration, George; and I am glad you have introduced it; turn to the passage and read it.

He took up a Bible, and opened at the fifteenth chapter of Matthew, and read the third verse, "But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? for GoD commanded, saying, Honor thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; and honor not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of GOD of none effect by your tradition."

-Read the parallel passage, in Mark vii. 11, 12.

"But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free. And ye suffer him no more to do aught for his father or his mother."

I am

It is a remarkable thing, George, that to this day that tradition governs them; for they disregarded these admonitions of Christ, whom in no way would they have to reign over them. told, that so early as at eight years of age, both boys and girls are permitted to act upon this plan, nay, even compelled to do so, and that, as soon as by begging or selling any wares, they can bring a small sum to their parents, they say "It is Corban, or a gift; I am free"-and the parent accepts it as Corban, and thenceforth the bond of duty and obedience is broken. The parent chooses to suppose the child able to support itself, and the child is taught to suppose that he owes no further allegiance to father or mother. The consequence is evident before our eyes, in the wretched depravity, and ignorance, and degradation of the poor Jews; who wander in the streets of the metropolis, and over every part of the world, destitute of the rights of parental care, and destitute of that sense of duty which should subsist on their part towards their parents.

Will you tell me exactly, uncle, how to understand that which they add, " by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me."

In this way, my dear George; It is a formal

renunciation of the duties of children to parents, and shows most expressly that they neither love, honor, nor intend to succor their parents; they thus discharge themselves from all obligations of conscience, to perform the duties of children. It is a gift, say they, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; which implies, You have no claim on me, no right to any help from me. What I give to you, henceforth, will be out of my own bounty, and whatever benefit I render to you, will be a gift, and not a duty. So they not only loose the bond for the future, but they acknowledge no sense of gratitude or obligation for the past. It is affecting to see the methods adopted by sinners to evade the law of God, which law knows no period at which the children's duty shall terminate,-it exists as long as the relationship stands.

Honor thy father and thy mother, saith the law, and saith the Gospel too. It proceeded out of the mouth of Moses, by whom came the law, and also out of the mouth of Him by whom came grace and truth! By "Corban" they make the commandment of God of none effect, and they draw very near to that point, from which, perhaps, they think they stand clear. He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. It is remarkable that the Lord combines these two points, Mark vii. 10, "For Moses said, Honor thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death." He knows the heart of man, and that a child

once losing the sense of duty, love, and honor, towards its parents, is in the awful way of cursing them; for what is it for a child to disown the parental claim, but to say that they are willing to leave them to whatever miseries may overtake them?

How dreadful is such a state!

Beware, my dear children, and watch yourselves, lest in any way your hearts be deceived in this important matter; remember in how many ways you are permitted to succor your father and mother; your ready obedience, your diligent study, your kind attention, your filial love, are all methods by which you may continually succor them, making the care and toil of your education light, remembering their injunctions, and not troubling them to repeat often the same lesson of admonition. When you conform to their orders or rule, as with a forced compliance, then you say, Corban! When you think much of your own obedience, then you say, Corban! not having the generous and delightful sense of respect and love for their desires, which prompts the obedience of the heart. The Jews, by their tradition, said, when they had offered their gift, or Corban, that they were free, as though the bonds of duty were a chain of slavish servitude. But the Lord reminded them of what the law said, "Let him die the death," let him receive the wages of sin.

Here my sister observed, You recollect,

Charles, do you not, that the fifth commandment is with Promise?

Certainly.

Then observe how the Jews forfeited that Promise, How they were cut off from the land of Promise, How short their lives were in that land, for it is evident how they departed from the law of their father; and, having also made the commandment still of none effect, having filled up the measure of their sins in the rejection of Jesus, they were utterly cast out of the land of promise. It is still, however, a land of promise to them, into which, through mercy and grace, they shall be gathered again; when they will also receive the fulfilment of that promise, "I will write my law in their hearts," and then will they no more make the commandment of God of none effect through their tradition.

But, dear George, to return to your first observation on the conduct of Dick Johnson, I agree with you, that though not by a tradition, yet it is by a scheme of human policy and worldly wisdom they are making the commandment of God of none effect. You saw that the commandment was out of the question, it had no effect on their hearts or on their practice, and with the want of a spirit of honor, there is most likely a preparation for a spirit of hatred in the breast of that boy towards his mother.

Just as I had concluded this remark, a vivid flash of lightning shot across the room, succeeded by a tremendous burst of thunder.