ut a being who
regards himself as the Father of all, and who would unite his children
in the bonds of family affection, would think of urging upon a company
of men and women, gathered from all classes and conditions of life, the
duly regarding each other with the same sincerity, tenderness, respect
and kindness as if they were the nearest relatives. Such is the force of
the expression, "Be kindly affectioned one to another." The word
expresses properly the strong natural affection between parents and
children; but the apostle is not satisfied with this, and uses the word
to qualify that brotherly love which our Lord has made the badge of
discipleship. It should be with the tenderness and the unselfishness
which characterize the filial and paternal relation, blending love with
natural affection, and making it manifest in common intercourse. Oh, how
different this from the spirit of the world, the spirit which seeks not
to bless others, but self; not to confer honor but to obtain it; which
aims not to diffuse respect, but to attract all others to give honor to
ourselves.

I design at present to use this divine injunction as conveying the Holy
Spirit's direction and description of proper family intercourse, in
reference, particularly, to children in the family circle.

I notice very briefly (for the direction must commend itself to the
heart of every child) its application to parents: "Be kindly affectioned
toward your father and mother." It is indeed hardly necessary to urge
this duty, for God has in his wisdom so constituted us, as in a good
degree to insure the duty of filial love even in those who do not regard
his own authority over their spirits. No child can for a moment reflect
upon the love and care which he has received from his parents, without a
moved heart, although he can never know their full power until he
himself becomes a parent; but here indeed lies the difficulty, and here
do I find the necessity of dwelling for a moment upon this point.
Children do not reflect upon this. Few ever sit down, calmly and
consecutively, to recall the parental kindness, and therefore, would I
ask each of you, my young friends, that you may obey this injunction,
and be kindly affectionate towards father and mother, to consider their
kindness to you. Why, if you look at it, you will hardly be able to find
that they have any other care in the world, or any other object, than
yourselves. What does that kind mother of yours do w