SATURDAY EDITORIAL

OH NO WE WOULDN'T
EVEN IF WE FEEL LIKE IT SOMETIMES
Deuteronomy 21:18-19 & 21
18 If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them:
19 Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place;
21 And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.

It is the mother's duty also to instruct her children. No child was to fare the worse for weakness of capacity, slowness, or dulness, but for wilfulness and obstinacy. His own father and mother must complain of him to the elders of the city. Children who forget their duty, must thank themselves, and not blame their parents, if they are regarded with less and less affection. He must be publicly stoned to death by the men of his city. Disobedience to a parent's authority must be very evil, when such a punishment was ordered; nor is it less provoking to God now, though it escapes punishment in this world. But when young people early become slaves to sensual appetites, the heart soon grows hard, and the conscience callous; and we can expect nothing but rebellion and destruction. Those that give up themselves to vice and wickedness, and will not be reclaimed, forfeit their interest in the natural affections of the nearest relations

Parents are considered God's representatives and invested with a portion of his authority over their children. And, how difficult tender parents now find it to reconcile themselves to the just punishment of their rebellious children, in the day of the revelation of the righteous judgment of God all natural affection will be so entirely swallowed up in divine love that they will accept even in the condemnation of those children, because God will be therein for ever glorified.

"For if it be a capital crime to be disobedient to parents, much more is it to strike, or beat them, and to assail them with reproachful words. In sum, Moses declares that those are deserving of death who are of such a stubborn and intractable disposition as to reject the authority of their father and mother, and to hold them in contempt. For it is plain that some children are in a desperate state who have so put away submissiveness and shame as to receive no profit from the admonitions of their parents. (John Calvin)"

This is death which was also appointed for blasphemers and idolaters: so that to disobey the parents is most horrible. Let children hear the sentence of God's word upon the ungrateful and disobedient; and remember that God will certainly requite it, if they have ever cursed their parents, even in their hearts, or have lifted up their hands against them, except they repent, and flee for refuge to the Saviour. It is clear that it is the duty of children, if their parents are poor, to relieve them as far as they are able; and if children deserve to die that curse their parents, much more those that starve them.

Children are enough sorrow of their mothers in the breeding, bearing, and nursing of them ; they should, therefore, when they grow up, study to be their joy, and so, if possible, to make them some amends. Many a son proves to be the son of his parent's sorrow, and the heaviness of her that bore him.

In the dark season of affliction, it is not easy to recognize the secret love which God even then bears to His own children, in the consideration that God will eventually put an end to the confusions which perplex them, and reduce matters to order.

Human life begins with sorrow, and the roses of its joy are surrounded with thorns.

God's Blessings to each of you,
LJG/rECj

SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY
Proverbs 6:16-19
These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.